For a country that has a readily available and incredibly varied choice of fruits, the consumption of fruits amongst Malaysians is alarmingly low; it does not even break the top 10 daily consumed food among Malaysian adults. Not only are the numbers worrying, the percentage of adults consuming the recommended daily intake of fruits and vegetables have been decreasing – currently, it is estimated that only 6% of adult Malaysians consume sufficient fruits and vegetables as opposed to 7.5% that was recorded in 2011.
Why do we not eat enough fruits?
Did you know that an estimated 7.8 million deaths worldwide could potentially be prevented yearly if people had consumed 10 portions of fruits and vegetables a day? However, most Malaysian adults do not even consume the daily recommended two servings of fruits. Here are several common traits as to why most Malaysians lack in fruits consumption:
1. Work-life balance
With nine out of 10 Malaysian employees expecting their jobs to be more challenging over the next five years and the volatile job market, many strive to be high-performing and multi-skilled, with most willing to develop their skills to meet these greater expectations. In hopes of cementing their current employment position, almost 75% of Malaysians surveyed have admitted to working 2 to 5 hours of overtime.
Spending most of their waking hours in the workplace leaves them with little social time, much less time to head to their nearest grocery store or market to get fresh fruits.
2. Malaysians are spoilt for choice
We have grown accustomed to having things quickly and at our fingertips, which has translated into a shorter attention span. Even stories found online have to be “bite-sized” for easy consumption. In this fast-paced environment, it is all about convenience and hassle-free for the working majority, hence the abundance of food delivery apps for the digitally-savvy population.
The same can be said for the hassle of buying fruits and cutting them – this is very much a deterrent to the working adults. If there are additional steps to its consumption, it will most likely detract favour away from it. While Malaysians are often spoilt for choice, there is little importance placed when it comes to consuming fruits in particular.
3. Cost
Even without the recent increase of 4.1% in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in respect of the food and non-alcoholic beverages group, the cost of fresh fruits has been off-putting, much less the exorbitant price for buying organic fruits. Many have exploited the growing consumer trend of healthy and organic eating for better health benefits, with organic products costing up to 400% more.
4. Hygiene
There are individuals who may be a little bit more particular with food preparation, and this includes fruit cutting. A question posed that will strike fear in any individual who is slightly more obsessive about hygiene and cleanliness – “Why can’t we just buy freshly cut fruits?” With multiple reports of food poisoning outbreaks nationwide due to improper handling of food, many are wary when it comes to food safety, especially in respect of freshly cut fruits that are done out of your own home.
How do we achieve a balanced diet amidst our busy lifestyle?
Coupled with the sedentary lifestyle due to the busy workload that a majority of working professionals lead, this does not bode well for the health outlook of the Malaysian population. Fruits and vegetables have been found to be beneficial to health irrespective of weight, physical activity levels, smoking and even overall diet, where a mere 200 grams of fruits daily can already have positive health benefits.
While the recommended two daily servings of fruits are designed to help boost a healthier living, MARIGOLD PEEL FRESH juices that are fortified with Vitamins A, C and E will similarly provide you with nutritious goodness in every drop. MARIGOLD PEEL FRESH juices are available in both Regular (a choice of nine flavours) and No Sugar Added Range (available in six flavours) – not only are they packaged for your convenience when you’re on the go, you can be rest assured that proper food protection measures have been taken during its packaging process to ensure food safety.
Source: MARIGOLD PEEL FRESH
Read also: 16 Effortless-Ways to Incorporate Fruits and Vegetables into Your Daily Diets
