This blog was written by Jenna Pearson. Meet our blogging fitness specialists at the NIFS website.
You probably know that eating fruits and vegetables is part of a healthy lifestyle, but did you know that eating sufficient amounts of fruits and vegetables can reduce your risk for heart disease, certain cancers, and type-2 diabetes? The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends filling half your plate with fruits and vegetables at every meal. The actual amount of fruits and vegetables a person needs varies by age and gender. Use the table below to find out how much you should be eating, and visit http://www.choosemyplate.gov/ for more information.
|
Fruits |
Vegetables |
||||
|
|
Age (years) |
Amount |
|
Age (years) |
Amount |
|
Women |
19–30 |
2 cups |
Women |
19–30 |
2½ cups |
|
31–50 |
1½ cups |
31–50 |
2½ cups |
||
|
51+ |
1½ cups |
51+ |
2 cups |
||
|
Men |
19–30 |
2 cups |
Men |
19–30 |
3 cups |
|
31–50 |
2 cups |
31–50 |
3 cups |
||
|
51+ |
2 cups |
51+ |
2½ cups |
||
From http://www.choosemyplate.gov/
If you consider yourself to be a picky eater, or don’t particularly like fruits or vegetables, try using these tips to help boost your consumption:
- Add extra vegetables to sauces and soups. You can even grate them in so they go undetected!
- Top your pizza with extra veggies, not extra cheese.
- Add grated carrots or zucchini to muffins and homemade bread.
- Serve up a smoothie for a nutritious snack or dessert! Use fresh or frozen fruits as your main ingredient.
- Top your cereal with fruit, not sugar. You will get the same sweetness, and a lot more nutrients!
- Grate or dice vegetables to add them to main dishes such as chili, lasagna, or casseroles. You can even puree cauliflower, carrots, and squash and add them to macaroni and cheese or mashed potatoes.
- For more ideas and recipes, visit sneakychef.com.