Health Benefits of Fruits and Vegetables in Liberian Cuisine

Background: Sufficient consumption of fruits and vegetables, as recommended by the World Health
Organization and Food and Agriculture of the United Nations, has been greatly linked with a lowered
risk of chronic/lifestyle diseases, digestive problems, mental health problems, eye problems, high
blood pressure and body weight management. It is recommended for adults to eat at least five
servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Unfortunately, most Liberians do not follow such a healthy
dietary pattern. Be it as it may, this book focuses on the health benefits of fruits and vegetables in
Liberian cuisine.
Methods: For this narrative review, appropriate scientific articles were considered from mainly Google
Scholar using the keywords health benefits, fruits, vegetables, Liberian cuisine, vitamins and minerals.
An observational study was also conducted using mini nutrition assessment tool and descriptive
analysis.
Results: In spite of the protective effects of fruits and vegetables as suggested by existing data, most
Liberians still consume low amounts of them. This is evident by the observational study conducted
and the information gathered from secondary data sources. It is important to deploy health education
strategies to promote fruit and vegetable consumption among Liberians.
Conclusion: It is obvious that the eating patterns of most Liberians are unhealthy. The risks involved
by not including fruits and vegetables into the daily meals of Liberians are fatal and could cause
damages to several organs. Realizing the fact that medical bills for treating lifestyle or chronic
diseases are far more expensive than practically handling those risk factors that contribute to their
emergence, it is fair enough for all Liberians to make great use of the fruits and vegetables they
consume on a seasonal basis.