If you ever needed an excuse to get more fruits and vegetables into your diet, take your cue from the American Heart Association, which recommends that you add plant-based foods to your diet to reduce your risk of heart disease. Fruits and vegetables can be appreciated for what they do and do not contain.
Many plant foods are high in folate, a B vitamin that is good for the heart.
They also contain phytochemicals that may act as antioxidants, and most are high in dietary fiber, which helps move cholesterol out of your system. Plant foods do not have cholesterol, and fat is minimal. Very few fruits or vegetables have more than a gram of fat per half-cup serving. What's more, plant foods are satisfying, so you're less likely to overeat. For example, you can have a pat of butter or an orange for 100 calories.