The USDA (U.
S.
Department of Agriculture), American Heart Association, and American Cancer Society all stress the importance of eating fruits and vegetables as part of a healthy diet.
It's been recommended that adults eat 7-13 servings of fresh, raw fruits and vegetables every day.
But there's always been a lot of confusion about how much of a fruit or vegetable is in a serving.
The general rule was that 1 serving = ½ cup or a "medium or average sized" piece of fruit.
That sounds simple enough, but while measuring a serving of sliced green beans isn't so hard, serving a ½ cup of baby carrots isn't quite as easy.
And what is an "average size" apple or orange? "Average" or "medium" size might mean something different to each person.
Recently, the USDA made it easier for all of us to know if we're getting enough of fruits and vegetables.
No more measuring and no more food pyramid to figure out.
Instead, they suggest that you "fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables at each meal or eating occasion".
When we fill half of our plate with things like lettuce, carrots, celery, kale, apples, grapes, pineapple, grapes, and berries, we make them the main part of each meal, which means we have a good chance of eating the recommended amount of these foods each day.
And, you don't have to do anymore measuring! Even if we didn't know how much to be eating, most of us already knew that all fresh produce is good for us and we should be eating some every day.
But, do you know why these foods are good for us? Can't we just get the same nutrition from something else? People often turn to vitamins and other nutritional supplements to improve their diets, but unfortunately, vitamins alone can't even begin to copy the thousands of different nutrients found in fresh fruits and vegetables.
A few years ago, I really didn't know why I was supposed to be eating fruits and vegetables other than "they're good for me", so I thought maybe you might not know either.
Here are just a few reasons to eat fruits and veggies every day (for those of you who already know this stuff, just consider it a reminder)...
- They contain a powerful assortment of antioxidants that offer protection for our bodies.
Antioxidants are substances that may protect cells from the damage caused by unstable molecules known as free radicals.
Examples of antioxidants include beta-carotene, lycopene, vitamins C and E, and other substances.
Many of these antioxidant substances come only from fruits and vegetables.
Eating a variety of colors gives your body a wide range of valuable nutrients.
- People who eat more of these as part of a healthful diet are likely to have reduced risk of chronic diseases, including certain cancers, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases.
- They are a natural source of energy and give the body many nutrients you need to keep going.
- This is the foundation of healthier aging, radiant skin, and looking and feeling better.
Just because it's easier to understand how many fruits and vegetables we need to eat every day doesn't make it any easier to actually do it.
I make an effort to eat some fruits and veggies every day, but I don't eat them at every meal and I know that most days, I don't eat nearly enough! That's why my family and I take Juice Plus+ every day - to help us bridge the gap between that half a plate of fruits and veggies we should be eating at every meal and what we actually do eat.
A few other ways I get more of these good foods into my diet are by eating a smoothie made from fresh or frozen fruits, spinach, juice, and Juice Plus Complete for breakfast, having a variety of fruits available for snacking on, salads for lunch, putting lettuce and tomatoes on sandwiches, carrot sticks and hummus for afternoon snacks, and grilled veggies for supper.
What are some of your favorite fruits and vegetables or ways to add them into your diet each day? So, next time you're filling up your plate, look at what's on it...
is half the plate covered with fruits and vegetables? I know I'm going to be paying more attention to that from now on.
It will definitely be easier than trying to keep track of how many servings I just ate!
S.
Department of Agriculture), American Heart Association, and American Cancer Society all stress the importance of eating fruits and vegetables as part of a healthy diet.
It's been recommended that adults eat 7-13 servings of fresh, raw fruits and vegetables every day.
But there's always been a lot of confusion about how much of a fruit or vegetable is in a serving.
The general rule was that 1 serving = ½ cup or a "medium or average sized" piece of fruit.
That sounds simple enough, but while measuring a serving of sliced green beans isn't so hard, serving a ½ cup of baby carrots isn't quite as easy.
And what is an "average size" apple or orange? "Average" or "medium" size might mean something different to each person.
Recently, the USDA made it easier for all of us to know if we're getting enough of fruits and vegetables.
No more measuring and no more food pyramid to figure out.
Instead, they suggest that you "fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables at each meal or eating occasion".
When we fill half of our plate with things like lettuce, carrots, celery, kale, apples, grapes, pineapple, grapes, and berries, we make them the main part of each meal, which means we have a good chance of eating the recommended amount of these foods each day.
And, you don't have to do anymore measuring! Even if we didn't know how much to be eating, most of us already knew that all fresh produce is good for us and we should be eating some every day.
But, do you know why these foods are good for us? Can't we just get the same nutrition from something else? People often turn to vitamins and other nutritional supplements to improve their diets, but unfortunately, vitamins alone can't even begin to copy the thousands of different nutrients found in fresh fruits and vegetables.
A few years ago, I really didn't know why I was supposed to be eating fruits and vegetables other than "they're good for me", so I thought maybe you might not know either.
Here are just a few reasons to eat fruits and veggies every day (for those of you who already know this stuff, just consider it a reminder)...
- They contain a powerful assortment of antioxidants that offer protection for our bodies.
Antioxidants are substances that may protect cells from the damage caused by unstable molecules known as free radicals.
Examples of antioxidants include beta-carotene, lycopene, vitamins C and E, and other substances.
Many of these antioxidant substances come only from fruits and vegetables.
Eating a variety of colors gives your body a wide range of valuable nutrients.
- People who eat more of these as part of a healthful diet are likely to have reduced risk of chronic diseases, including certain cancers, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases.
- They are a natural source of energy and give the body many nutrients you need to keep going.
- This is the foundation of healthier aging, radiant skin, and looking and feeling better.
Just because it's easier to understand how many fruits and vegetables we need to eat every day doesn't make it any easier to actually do it.
I make an effort to eat some fruits and veggies every day, but I don't eat them at every meal and I know that most days, I don't eat nearly enough! That's why my family and I take Juice Plus+ every day - to help us bridge the gap between that half a plate of fruits and veggies we should be eating at every meal and what we actually do eat.
A few other ways I get more of these good foods into my diet are by eating a smoothie made from fresh or frozen fruits, spinach, juice, and Juice Plus Complete for breakfast, having a variety of fruits available for snacking on, salads for lunch, putting lettuce and tomatoes on sandwiches, carrot sticks and hummus for afternoon snacks, and grilled veggies for supper.
What are some of your favorite fruits and vegetables or ways to add them into your diet each day? So, next time you're filling up your plate, look at what's on it...
is half the plate covered with fruits and vegetables? I know I'm going to be paying more attention to that from now on.
It will definitely be easier than trying to keep track of how many servings I just ate!
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