Ever since childhood, Americans have heard that we should eat more fruits and vegetables. Although the marketing tools and graphic design of this message changed with the release of MyPlate in 2011, the general advice hasn’t changed. The recommendation is to fill half of the plate with fruits and vegetables or eat 5-a-day. In this blog, I will discuss why fruits and vegetables are so important in a healthy diet, address the current fruit and vegetable consumption in the U.S., and offer some tips on how to incorporate more into your diet.

Nutrient Dense

Fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of fiber and micronutrients. Studies have shown that people who eat more fruits and vegetables are less likely to have complications with cardiovascular disease and cancer (Wang X, 2014). See the Super Foods? post by Kentz Willis for more detail on the micronutrients in fruits and vegetables.

Falling Short

Overall, the average American adult gets only 8% of the recommended target of fruits and 6% of the recommended target of vegetables (fruitsandveggies.org). While this statistic is sobering, it hasn’t gotten better. In fact, the fruit and vegetable consumption has declined 7% in the last 5 years (fruitsandveggies.org). It is clear that U.S. adults do not eat enough fruits and vegetables.

Tips to Consume More

How can you change this statistic and make sure that you eat enough fruits and vegetables each day? Here are eight tips:

1. Purchase enough fruit and veggies to meet your daily needs.
   Remember to eat 5 fruits and veggies per day. Multiply that by the number of people in the household to get a guideline of how much produce you should buy.
2. Wash and prepare it at the beginning of the week.
   You will be more likely to eat something that is already prepared, so when possible, wash and cut produce in advance.
3. Keep it in sight.
   After prepping the produce, set it at eye level in the refrigerator or on the counter.
4. Start the day with fruit.
   It’s easy to eat a banana in the morning or add berries to cereal and oatmeal.
5. Go frozen.
   Most frozen and canned produce are processed within hours of harvest, so the flavor and nutritional value are preserved.
6. Pack a snack.
   Apples, oranges, and celery are easy snacks that transport well, so the healthy choice is the easy choice!
7. Double the veggies in appropriate recipes.
   Adding extra veggies to soups and salads is a quick way to make the 5-a-day.
8. Say yes to the salad.
   Any time you go out to eat, be sure to start with the salad course. It’s nice to have someone else prepare it for you!

Written by Vicki Hayman, MS, University of Wyoming Extension Nutrition and Food Safety Educator

Sources:

• Have a Plant. State of the Plate, 2015 Study on America’s Consumption of Fruit and Vegetables. Web. <https://fruitsandveggies.org/>.
• Wang X, O. Y. (2014). Fruit and vegetable consumption and mortality from all causes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer: systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. British Medical Journal, 349.
• Erin Kyle, MS, is a UNC dietetic intern and Fitness Coordinator at the University of Wyoming Campus Recreation and Wellness Center in Laramie.