In the vegetables and fruit family, we find food like carrots, spinach, tomatoes, apples, juicy oranges, grapes, and even refreshing fruit-juices. The vegetables and fruit family gives your body most of the vitamins and minerals that is needed to guard itself and to regulate bodily functions.

Your index finger represents the vegetables and fruit family. You need to eat five servings of vegetables and fruit in a day.

Why do we need 5 servings of vegetables and fruit?

When you bat in a game of cricket, you wear knee guards, gloves and a helmet to protect yourself.

In a similar way, your body needs protective gear to guard itself against bad bacteria and viruses.

The nutrients that do this job are protein, vitamins and minerals. For example, Vitamin C is the best guard against flu viruses. You get vitamin C in food like oranges and tomatoes.

Remember, this group of nutrients not only protects, it also regulates. These nutrients act like a sports team coach that sets the game plan and organises the players.

Like the coach manages the team, these nutrients regulate body functions.
For example, Vitamin A regulates your eyesight. Orange and yellow vegetables and fruit, like pawpaw and carrots contain plenty of Vitamin A.

Check if you get your 5 servings of vegetables and fruit next time, if you forget the fruit in your snack, you’ll need to make up for it and have an extra vegetable or fruit at your next mealtime. For every bite of food, remember:

It’s the nutrients that food has to give, that lets you stay healthy and strong!

Remember that the other food families (dairy, starch, meat and meat alternatives and fats and sugars) has something unique to give to your body.