According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), only 1 in 10 Americans eat enough fruits and vegetables every day.
And what is enough? Ideally, you should consume between 5 and 13 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. This equals about 2 1/2 to 6 1/2 cups, depending on the amount of calories you need for your weight and activity level. For example, if you consume 2,000 calories each day, you should eat 9 servings of fruit and vegetables, which is about 4 1/2 cups.
So, chances are, like most Americans you’re probably falling short of the recommended servings per day.
According to the Harvard School of Public Health, when you consume 5 or more servings of fruit and vegetables each day, you significantly lower your risk for many health issues including stroke, heart disease, and high-blood pressure. In fact, people who get their daily recommended fruits and vegetables are 20 percent less likely to develop these serious health disorders.
Here are 4 simple ways to get more fruits and vegetables into your diet.
Include Them at Breakfast
If you are going to eat at least 5 servings of these important foods each day, then you are going to have to start early. So, go ahead and add blueberries to your yogurt or spinach to your omelet. It’s a great way to start the day.
Keep Fruit in Plain Site
Don’t keep your fruit hidden in the back of the fridge or buried at the bottom of the food crisper. Set a bowl of fruit on your table and a banana tree on your counter. When fruits are plainly visible, they are much more likely to get eaten.
Go Ahead and Freeze Them
Keep a variety of vegetables such as broccoli, peas, and carrots in the freezer. That way you will always have vegetables in the house that you can easily steam, boil, or add to casserole dishes.
Think Fruit and Veggies First
Many experts recommend that half of your plate is filled with fruits and vegetables. Try to start your menu by basing it on what vegetables you will have first. Then, fill the rest of your plate with lean protein.
So, make it one of your goals to get more fruits and vegetables into your diet. Not only are fruits and veggies low in calories, high in minerals, vitamins, and fiber, they can also be a tasty treat.
