Are You Eating the Daily Recommended Amount of Fruits and Vegetables?
- Dietitian.Lauren Hmede
- Jul 26, 2019
- 2 min read
Are You Eating the Daily Recommended Amount of Fruits and Vegetables?
Eating fruits and vegetables is essential not only because they are low in calories but they are rich in vitamins and minerals which are needed for normal body functioning.
Accroding to research, consuming adequate servings of fruits and vegetables lower the risk of many chronic diseases.
Indulge In More Fruit
Fruits contain fiber and a variety of vitamins and minerals, and they get their sweetness from natural sugar.
In fact, indulging in nature's candy each day can help lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease and prevent certain types of cancer, among other benefits.
In other words, you should be eating about four servings of fruit per day (a serving is about the size of your fist), according to the Americanheart assosciation (AHA).
Fill Your Plate With Plenty Of Vegetables
Vegetables are low in calories and fat, high in fiber and cholesterol-free. Veggies provide a variety of essential nutrients, including vitamins A and C, potassium, fiber and folate.
In addition to their nutritional value, non-starchy vegetables like spinach, arugula and other leafy greens promote weight loss, according to Harvard Health.
Adults should aim to consume about two to three cups of a variety of vegetables each day. That's about five servings per day (one serving is about a half to a full cup of veggies, depending on the type you're eating), according to the AHA.
Tips for Getting Enough Fruit and Vegetable Servings
Start introducing more fruits and veggies by snacking smart. While grabbing a quick, packaged granola bar on the go is convenient, replacing processed snacks with fresh fruit or vegetables is a healthier option. At the beginning of the week, set aside time to wash large quantities of fruit and vegetables, dividing them into snack-sized portions or baggies for convenience.
Make a conscious effort to incorporate more fresh fruit into your daily diet by substituting jam with fruit on your toast, adding fresh blueberries to plain Greek yogurt or blending frozen fruit into a smoothie.
Fill your plate primarily with vegetables and add whole grains and meat as a side dish.
While this may seem insufficient for a full meal, the fiber content in veggies will keep you satisfied and get you closer to the proper amount of nutrients.
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