Why is it Important to Eat Fruits and Vegetables?

• Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables as part of an overall healthy diet may reduce risk for stroke and other cardiovascular diseases.
• Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables as part of an overall healthy diet helps to reduce risk for type 2 diabetes.
• Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables as part of an overall healthy diet protects against certain cancers, such as mouth, stomach, and colon-rectum cancer.
• Diets rich in foods containing fiber, such as fruits and vegetables, may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
• Eating fruits and vegetables rich in potassium as part of an overall healthy diet mayreduce the risk of developing kidney stones and may help to decrease bone loss.
• Eating foods such as vegetables that are low in calories per cup instead of otherhigher calorie foods is useful in helping to lower calorie intake.

Tips For Eating More Fruit!

• Keep a bowl of whole fruit on the table, counter, or in the refrigerator.
• Buy fresh fruits in season when they may be less expensive and at their peak flavor.
• Buy fruits that are dried, frozen, and canned (in water or juice) as well as fresh, so that you always have a supply on hand.
• Make most of your choices whole or cut-up fruit rather than juice, for the benefits dietary fiber provides.
• Select fruits with more potassium, such as bananas, dried peaches and apricots,cantaloupe, honeydew melon, and orange juice.
• When choosing canned fruits, select fruit canned in 100% fruit juice or water rather than syrup.
• Vary your fruit choices. Fruits differ in nutrient content.
• At lunch, pack a tangerine, banana, or grapes to eat, or choose fruits from a salad bar.
• Individual containers of fruits like peaches or applesauce are easy and convenient.
• At dinner, add crushed pineapple to coleslaw, or include mandarin oranges or grapesin a tossed salad.
• Try meat dishes that incorporate fruit, such as chicken with apricots or mango chutney.
• For dessert, have baked apples, pears, or a fruit salad.
• Keep a package of dried fruit in your desk or bag. Some fruits that are available dried include apricots, apples, pineapple, bananas, cherries, figs, dates, cranberries,blueberries, dried plums, and raisins.
• Frozen juice bars (100% juice) make healthy alternatives to high-fat snacks.
• Make a fruit smoothie by blending fat-free or low-fat milk or yogurt with fresh or frozen fruit. Try bananas, peaches, strawberries, or other berries.
• Try applesauce as a fat-free substitute for some of the oil when baking cakes.

Tips for Eating More Vegetables

• Stock up on frozen vegetables for quick and easy cooking in the microwave.
• Try crunchy vegetables, raw or lightly steamed.
• Buy vegetables that are easy to prepare. Pick up pre-washed bags of salad greens and add baby carrots or grape tomatoes for a salad in minutes. Buy packages of baby carrots or celery sticks for quick snacks.
• Buy fresh vegetables in season. They cost less and are likely to be at their peak flavor.
• Try a main dish salad for lunch. Go light on the salad dressing.
• Plan some meals around a vegetable main dish, such as a vegetable stir fry or soup.
• Then add other foods to complement it.
• Include a green salad with your dinner every night.
• Shred carrots or zucchini into meatloaf, casseroles, quick breads, and muffins.
• Include chopped vegetables in pasta sauce or lasagna.
• Use pureed, cooked vegetables such as potatoes to thicken stews, soups and gravies.
• These add flavor, nutrients, and texture.
• Grill vegetable kabobs as part of a barbecue meal. Try tomatoes, mushrooms, green peppers, and onions.
• Keep a bowl of cut-up vegetables in a see-through container in the refrigerator. Carrot and celery sticks are traditional, but consider broccoli florettes, cucumber slices, or red or green pepper strips.

All information is provided courtesy of MyPyramid.gov.