Healthy Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are important foods because they provide essential nutrients, like vitamins, minerals and fiber, along with disease fighting compounds, like lycopene (a chemical that gives foods a red color), resveratrol (found in red grapes, wine and peanuts) and anthocyanin (found in blueberries, blackberries, cherries, kiwi, plums and eggplant).

A diet that includes plenty of fruits and veggies is associated with a reduced risk for obesity and many chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Research shows higher intake of fruit and vegetables is associated with lower rates of heart disease, stroke and some types of cancer.

Health experts recommend eating at least five servings of some combination of fruits and vegetables every day. Ideally, for the most health benefits, Americans should eat closer to nine servings/day. However, the American Dietetic Association estimates 70 percent of Americans don’t get the minimum five servings a day.

Choosing Fruits and Veggies
Fruits and vegetables are very versatile and easy to prepare. Many can be eaten raw, baked, grilled or sautéed. Some can be pureed and served as a juice or shredded into soups, main dishes and desserts. Madelyn Fernstrom, Ph.D., Diet & Nutrition Expert with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, says the most important thing to keep in mind is to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables every day. Here are some tips for getting more healthy fruits and veggies in your daily diet:

Think color. Fruits and vegetables gain their color from the healthy compounds they contain. Each color provides specific kinds of nutrients. Look for red, orange/yellow, green (especially dark green) and blue/purple.

Make them available. Keep clean, ready-to-eat fruits and veggies in the refrigerator for a quick bite. To combat the munchies, reach in the fridge and grab these instead of chips, cookies or other unhealthy snacks.

Don’t peel. Fernstrom says most of the nutrients in fruits and vegetables are in the peel or just under the skin. Before eating, wash the food very carefully with soap and water to remove dirt and contaminants.

Add variety to your meals. Chop up or shred fruits and vegetables and use them as pizza toppings or add them to salads, omelets and casseroles. This is a good way to sneak in vegetables when your family has picky eaters.

Freeze left-over chopped vegetables. They can be conveniently thawed and added to soups for extra flavor and nutrition.

Drink them up. Puree fruits and veggies for a healthy smoothie or breakfast on-the-run. Fruit juices can be frozen in ice trays and added to summer drinks. Add a stick to make a frozen treat for kids. Store-bought juices can be a good way to get extra servings of fruits and vegetables. However, Fernstrom advises people to limit the amount of prepared fruit juices because most of them have added sugar.

Supplement your diet. The best way to get your five-a-day is by eating the right foods. For people who still don’t get enough fruits and veggies, Fernstrom recommends a vitamin supplement.



AUDIENCE INQUIRY
For general information on healthy eating:
American Dietetic Association, http://www.eatright.org
CDC, Fruits and Veggies - More Matters™, http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bazzano, Lydia, M.D., Ph.D., and Tricia Li, M.D., “Intake of Fruit, Vegetables, and Fruit Juices and Risk of Diabetes in Women,” Diabetes Care, July 2008, Vol. 31, No. 7, pp. 1311-1317.

Heim, S., et al., “A Garden Pilot Project Enhances Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among Children,” Journal of the American Dietetic Association, July 2009, Vol. 109, No. 7, pp. 1220-1226.

Litmer, Amy, Ph.D., et al., “Promoting Fruit and Vegetable Intake Through Messages Tailored to Individual Differences in Regulatory Focus,” Annals of Behavioral Medicine, June 2008, Vol. 35, No. 3, pp. 363-369.

Pasayatty, Sebastian and Mark Levine, “Fruit and Vegetables: Think Variety, Go Ahead, Eat!” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, January 2008, Vol. 87, No. 1, pp. 5-7.

Trichopoulou, Antonia, “Anatomy of Health Effects of Mediterranean Diet,” BMJ, online first, June 23, 2009, Vol. 338, p. b2337.

Watters, Joanne, et al., “Associations of Psychosocial Factors with Fruit and Vegetable Intake Among African-Americans,” Public Health Nutrition, July 2007, Vol. 10, No. 7, pp. 701-711.