Fruits and Veggies: Strive for Five

How does your plate rate? Would you grade yourself as an A+ eater? If you're like most Americans, you don't make the grade. You aren't getting the minimum five servings of fruits and vegetables you need each day to fight disease and have more energy.

Only 20 to 30 percent of Americans are actually eating at least five a day. The rest of us are falling short. That's no small matter. About 35 percent of cancers can be prevented by getting at least five servings of fruits and veggies a day. What's more is that healthy eating can help prevent:

• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Type 2 diabetes
• Certain cancers
• Obesity

The number of fruits and vegetables you need aren't one size fits all. Children between the ages of 2 and 6 should get five. Older kids, teen girls and women need seven. Teen boys and men need at least nine.

What's the magic ingredient? Along with providing vitamins, minerals and fiber, fruits and veggies have something called phytochemicals, which scientists think are the chemicals that can help prevent disease. Phytochemicals give these natural foods their color. They also play distinct roles in your body, which scientists are only beginning to understand.

Researchers do know that phytochemicals don't work alone. They work as a team with vitamins and minerals to stimulate your immune system, fight bacteria and viruses, and help remove toxins from your body. This is why it's better to skip the pills and supplements and opt for fruits and vegetables. Supplements contain isolated forms of phytochemicals, which have not been proven to be safe or effective.

Adding fruits and veggies to your diet can be tough. Change is a process, not an event. Take it slow by introducing an extra serving of veggies in your dinner, until ultimately, most of your plate is full of veggies several months later.

Here are some tips:

• Add steamed broccoli or cauliflower to pasta.
• Keep frozen veggies on hand to throw into soups.
• Drink a glass of orange juice or apple juice.
• Keep healthy foods in sight on the kitchen counter.
• Slice bananas or strawberries on cereal.
• Add dried fruit, like cranberries, to your salads.
• Use sun-dried tomatoes for your pasta and salads.
• Roast red peppers by cutting them in half and putting them in the broiler for 15 minutes. Place them in a plastic bag and allow them to cool for 20 minutes, then peel off the skins.

Related Articles Change the Way You Eat MyPyramid: The Colorful, Customized Food Guide Food for the Heart

External Sources 5-A-Day Program The American Dietetic Association

This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.

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