 In this video, we'll talk about a family of foods that might be the most important of all for keeping our families healthy. Fruits and vegetables can be thought of as protecting foods, and they're so important that if they're available, they should make up about one half of each meal. Fruits and vegetables are full of vitamins and minerals that help protect mothers, children, and their families from infections that cause colds, stomach problems, and many other illnesses. Fruits and vegetables also protect our eyesight, they keep the heart strong, and they help keep the digestive system, or gut, working and healthy. Eating enough fruits and vegetables may even help prevent diseases like cancer. When the meals we eat are made up of approximately one half plant foods, combined with carbohydrate-rich energy foods and protein-rich building foods, we're more likely to feel good, stay healthy, and maintain a healthy weight. Examples of nutrient-rich vegetables are things like cabbage, tomatoes, carrots, beets, spinach, beans, squash like butternut squash, peas, onions, and broccoli. Vegetables cooked at home are almost always healthier than the vegetables in ready-made meals. Many vegetables don't even require cooking and can be eaten raw, like shredded carrots, cabbage, or tomatoes. Examples of nutrient-rich fruits are bananas, apples, oranges, peaches, mandarins, pears, grapes, melons, and pineapples. Fresh fruits are almost always healthier than canned fruits because they usually contain less sugar and many more vitamins. Fruits are the best kind of treats for children, and eating a fruit instead of a dessert is usually a better choice. Fruits and vegetables should be eaten every day if they're available. In fact, we should try and eat five portions of these foods each and every day if possible. The best way to get the most protection from fruits and vegetables is to eat a variety of these foods. Different colored fruits and vegetables contain different vitamins. Each of these vitamins has a special role in protecting our health. So try to eat like a rainbow with different colors of vegetables and fruits on your plate if you can get them. Even on a tight budget, fruits and vegetables should be a priority because they are so rich in nutrients. Raising a family can be lots of fun, especially when we all stay healthy, so we're able to enjoy our time together. Protect your health and the health of your family by eating a variety of protecting fruits and vegetables.