It’s that time of the year to once again celebrate National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month! June is the perfect time to remember the importance of eating healthy and how it can benefit not only your overall health but your dental health too.
Fruits and veggies offer so many great benefits for our bodies, providing a wide range of nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and fiber, while also remaining low in calories, fat, and sodium. These foods are also packed with the nutrients our children need to grow strong and healthy. Since most fruits and veggies have a high water content, they can also help keep us hydrated during these summer months.
Join your team at Heroes Dental in celebrating National Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Month.
Heroes Grow Strong with Fresh Fruits and Veggies
Fruits and veggies are vital to a healthy diet. Not only do they contain plenty of vitamins that help to keep us healthy, but they also can also help to improve our dental health as well. Enjoying fruits and veggies during the summertime is especially important as we tend to become a little more lenient with our diets. From vacations to barbecues, the summer months usually mean a bit of extra snacking, sweets, and soda.
Of course, too much sugar can only lead to dental health complications.
On the other hand, fruits and veggies contain important vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A, C, and E, magnesium, zinc, phosphorous and folic acid. Fruits are also a great source of dietary fiber while being low in fat.
When included in a well-balanced diet, along with exercise, fruits and vegetables can help with:
- – Reducing your risk for strokes, heart disease, and certain types of cancer.
- – Reducing obesity and helping you to maintain a healthy weight.
- – Lowering your cholesterol.
- – Lowering your blood pressure.
- – Lowering your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Fruits and Veggies to Enjoy All Summer Long
From raw fruits to veggie side dishes, consider eating these foods all summer long:
- – Dark green veggies like spinach have high amounts of calcium and other vitamins that are essential for your teeth. Include spinach in your favorite salad.
- – Carrots are high in fiber and help to stimulate your gums, keeping your mouth healthy.
- Citrus fruits like oranges have plenty of vitamin C, which can act as a type of tooth whitener.
- – Watermelons are not only delicious but have plenty of water to keep you hydrated during those scorching summer days. Keep some watermelon in the fridge to cool it down and then enjoy poolside.
- – Apples are fibrous and act like little toothbrushes. Eating an apple after a meal can help to clean your teeth until you get a chance to brush or floss.
- – Celery is another excellent veggie that contains plenty of vitamin C, and because of its threadlike texture, it can help to clean plaque between your teeth.