Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can improve your health today and in the long run. The national goal for Americans is to eat at least 5 servings daily with the average American eating 3-4 servings. Research shows that people who eat 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day have: fewer cancers, lower blood pressure and reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cataracts. Fruits and vegetables can also help you maintain a healthy weight. They come in so many shapes, sizes, flavors and colors that it is hard to resist eating them right? Well, according to Health Check '98, only 15% of Washington County adults eat 5 fruit and vegetable servings per day. Here are a few tips for getting in your 5 today!
So What Counts As A Serving?
Vegetables
- 1 cup raw, leafy vegetables
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh or cooked vegetables
- 3/4 cup vegetable juice
Fruit
- 1 piece of fruit
- 3/4 cup fruit juice
- 1/2 cup cut up cooked or canned fruit
- 1/4 cup dried fruit
Five Ways To 5 A Day!
- Eat A Fruit Or Vegetable With Each Meal And Snack. It is easy if you plan ahead and start eating fruits and vegetables first thing in the morning. Here are some suggestions:
- Add fruit to yogurt or have a glass of 100% juice with breakfast.
- Snack on raisins, baby carrots or fresh fruit during the day.
- Have a cup of vegetable soup, or have fresh vegetables with low-fat dip for lunch.
- A salad of spinach greens with fresh strawberries or mandarin oranges and cooked vegetables are easy additions to supper.
- Try combining apple wedges with peanut butter or berries over ice cream for a bed-time snack.
- Fill 1/2 Of Your Plate With Fruits And Vegetables. Eating larger portions of fruits and vegetables at each meal will not only help you reach the 5 A Day goal but may also cut your fat intake and follows the American Cancer Society's recommendations to eat smaller portions of meats.
- Remember To Use All Five Forms Of Fruits And Vegetables - Fresh, Frozen, Canned, Dried, and 100% Fruit or Vegetable Juice. It is good to have some canned and dried fruits or vegetables on hand for those weeks when you run out of fresh and just don't have time for grocery shopping. Kids may actually prefer canned or dried foods and may eat more than if you only offer fresh or frozen varieties. Don't worry that there may be slightly fewer nutrients, the important thing is to offer the forms that your family will eat. The one exception to this is juice - kids will easily over use juice so limit it to one cup of 100% juice per day.
- Wash All Fresh Produce With Warm Water and Friction - NOT Soap. It is important to wash all produce including the ones that you peel before eating like bananas, melons, and squash. The American Cancer Society does not recommend using any soap when washing produce since that would just add chemicals in order to remove possible residues or contaminants. Use lukewarm, running water and a vegetable brush or your hands to scrub the surface of all produce before eating it. Peeling is only necessary if there is a waxy substance that you cannot remove with washing.
- Try a New Recipe Using Fruits or Vegetables Every Week. So often we recycle the same menu items over and over again. It is no wonder we get tired of cooking! Check out a cookbook from the local library or pick up a newspaper or magazine and try something new. Let the kids get involved by picking the " recipe of the week ", making the shopping list and helping with the cooking. Smaller children can help set the table, wash produce, pick the color of food items or count out ingredients.
Some Tips For Parents When Offering Fruits And Vegetables To Children
- Be a good role model - eat the types of foods that you would like your children to eat.
- Let your children decide how much they will eat - they are more likely to try new things if there is no pressure to eat a specified amount.
- Offer new foods with ones they already like and are comfortable with
- Keep mealtimes pleasant - avoid food struggles and being a short-order cook.
- Encourage kids to get involved with food choices and food preparation but limit the number of choices, for example: " Would you like to have a red or green apple today?" (carrots or green beans). Letting them make some of the decisions lets them get used to those foods and can boost their self-esteem too.
- Keep offering fruits and vegetables even if your kids won't eat them today - remind them that they used to like it or they may like it "when they grow up". Every child wants to grow up!
For More Information About 5 A Day (Brochures, Posters, Recipes, and Displays) Contact: Washington County Public Health and Environment at 651-430-6655
