Health and Savety

More Matters When It Comes to Eating Fruits and Vegetables


Research indicates more than 50 percent of American adult consumers know they need to eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day. In Iowa, approximately 80 percent of adults still do not eat the recommended amount.
To help Iowans and the rest of the nation increase the amount of fruits and vegetables consumed, the Produce for Better Health Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have launched Fruits & Veggies-More Matters™. Debuting today, it's a new national public health initiative encouraging Americans to eat more fruits and veggies-fresh, frozen, canned, dried and 100% juice.
"It's easier than you think to get the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables," said Carol Voss, Iowans Fit for Life and Fruit and Vegetable Nutrition Coordinator with the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH). "Try to fill about half your plate with fruits and vegetables at meals and choose fruits and vegetables for an easy snack. Every step taken to increase fruit and vegetable consumption counts."
According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005, people who consume generous amounts of fruits and vegetables as part of a healthful diet are likely to have reduced risk of disease including stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer.
"Eating more fruits and vegetables is also a delicious way to maintain a healthy weight," said Voss.
Voss explained consumers, especially moms, want easy to use information and resources to help them include more fruits and vegetables into their family's diet. The Fruits & Veggies-More Matters Web site, www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org, offers recipes, serving ideas and shopping advice. It includes activities and tips for getting children involved and exploring the different varieties of fruits and veggies that the whole family loves to eat. Consumers will also have the opportunity to share their own easy and fun serving ideas by submitting them online.