Over and over throughout our lives, we are told to eat our fruits and veggies because they are healthy. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans’ most recent report shows that almost 90% of the population in the United States does not consume the recommended amounts of vegetables daily, and 80% do not consume the recommendations for fruit. Research shows that when selected vegetables are prepared or consumed with additional salt and sauces for flavoring. Fruits and vegetables have a wide range of benefits for our bodies, but we are not taking advantage of them if we choose not to eat them daily.
According to the USDA MyPlate, which provides recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, at least half your plate should have fruits and vegetables in meals and snacks throughout the day. Having colorful foods on your plate with different textures creates interest in your meals. When considering the fruits and vegetables each day you are consuming you might be wondering, how much you need to eat and which to focus on. It is going to depend on age, but up typically at least 2 cups of fruit and 3 cups of vegetables. For fruit, some examples of 1 cup are a small apple, a large banana, a medium grapefruit, a large orange, a medium pear, or ½ cup dried fruit. For vegetables 1 cup raw or cooked vegetables or 2 cups of leafy salad greens equals a cup.
When it comes to selection, think of the rainbow! The more colors you include, the more variety of vitamins and minerals you are fueling your body with. A goal is to include at least 2-3 different colors of fruits and vegetables every day. Those red in color help with improved memory, a healthy heart, and lower the risk for some cancers. Fruits and vegetables that are orange or yellow provide the benefits of healthy vision, a healthy heart, immune system support, and lower risk for some cancers. When we think color, we may forget about white, but keep your heart strong by consuming these vegetables too. We hear to eat your greens, but do you know why? Green fruits and vegetables help with vision, strong bones, and teeth and lower the risk of some cancers. The darker the color is also beneficial as seen in blue and purple produce which helps with our brain health and healthy aging.
When selecting fruit aim for what’s in season for a fresh taste and a lower cost due to availability. Fruit will have natural sugar, which is ok, and provides additional nutrients you need for health. When selecting other than fresh aim for those frozen and canned products without added sugar since that would not contribute to health. When selecting vegetables, stick to those in season and if choosing frozen or canned, keep in mind sodium. It’s added in packaged or canned items as a form of preservation, but too much in our overall diet can lead to higher blood pressure and affect our heart health. Choose lower-sodium options, or choose canned rinse which removes some, but not all the sodium. A tip is to purchase things in season, blanch, and freeze for later to enjoy when not seasonally available.
The health benefits that fruits and vegetables provide do give us superpowers in the form of preventing and managing many chronic diseases and other health issues. The next time you are building your shopping list, don’t forget a variety of fruits and vegetables, it’s your first step in building a healthier plate.
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