Recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables range from 3 to 6 ½ cups per day. How much you need depends on your age, activity level, and gender.
Instead of doing the math, you could just keep it simple: Fill half of your plate with colorful fruits and vegetables at every meal and snack.
Research shows that fruits and vegetables promote good health. How? They contain essential nutrients (vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber) and other healthful substances.
People who eat generous amounts of fruits and veggies as part of a healthful diet reduce their risk of getting a chronic disease, including stroke, heart attack, and certain cancers.
Eating fruits and vegetables instead of higher-calorie foods can help you lose weight and maintain a healthy weight. The water and fiber in fruits and vegetables will add volume to your dishes, so that you can eat the same amount of food with fewer calories. Most fruits and vegetables are naturally low in fat and calories, yet are filling.
If you are looking to add more fruits and veggies to your meals, purchase a Simply Produce bundle from:
- Gene’s Heartland Foods in Smith Center,
- Girard’s IGA in Osborne,
- Kier’s Thriftway in Mankato.
By: Jamie Rathbun
