Eat fruits and greens every day to stay healthy

The Star

Published: Thursday August 15, 2013 MYT 12:00:00 AM
Updated: Thursday August 15, 2013 MYT 8:22:55 AM

BY LOH FOON FONG 

FOONFONG@THESTAR.COM.MY

PETALING JAYA: Two servings of fruits and three of vegetables a day will help keep the doctor away, according to the Nutrition Society of Malaysia.

Its president Dr Tee E Siong advised people to eat adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables daily to keep healthy.

“Fruits and vegetables play an important role in the prevention of diseases. They have micronutrients and phytonutrients which are not found in animal food. Supplements cannot replace fruits and vegetables,” he said.

To fight rising prices, Dr Tee said people could buy seasonal fruits or plant fruits in their garden.

Part-time caterer Yossi Setiawan, 33, said the increase in fruit prices had affected her business, with profit margin reducing by at least 20%.

Yossi, who uses a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables in her high-end vegetarian food menu, said she was having second thoughts about her business “due to too many complaints about prices”.

Retired teacher Kow Swee Yin, 60, said she spent RM40 to RM50 on fruits each week.

Kow, who makes fruit blends daily, said she spent RM10 more a week on fruits.

Housewife Nellie Song, 45, said her fruit shopping had gone up by 20% to 30%, adding that she spent RM70 on fruits for her family of five each week.