ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — According to the CDC, only about 12 percent of American adults eat the daily recommended amount of fruit. And only 10 percent meet their vegetable intake recommendations. Now a new study looks at a way to get more people to eat these healthy foods. Fruits and veggies
For Kathy Moramarco, healthy eating is a way of life. She says, “I try to eat healthy for weight management and longevity and anticancer.”
Most people, like Kathy, know that fresh fruits and veggies are good for them, but eating enough can be hard. Now, a new study shows when doctors prescribe healthy foods, nutrition improves. Researchers studied 3,881 people from low-income neighborhoods. Participants were given vouchers worth 15 to 300 dollars a month to buy more fruits and veggies. Results showed the volunteers ended up eating about 30 percent more produce per day! A diet high in fruits and vegetables can lessen the risk of diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, and more. And experts say the more variety, and the color, the better!
Mary Mcalary, Cert. Holistic Health Coach, Author, Founder of New Day One Life Nutrition says, “When you eat color, those colors give you the nutrients that you need to be your healthiest.”
The American Heart Association recommends four to five servings each of fruits and vegetables daily. And the US Department of Agriculture suggests filling half of your plate with fruits and vegetables. Kathy says she feels better when she eats right.
Kathy says, “When I incorporate a lot more fruits and vegetables, I feel a lot better and my energy skyrockets.”
More energy, and better health.
The US Agriculture Department estimates that a person would need to spend 63 to 78 dollars per month to eat the recommended daily amount of fruit and vegetables.
Contributors to this news report include: Julie Marks, Producer; Roque Correa, Editor.
Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/66/wr/mm6645a1.htm
https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2023/08/29/prescribing-fruits-vegetables-health/
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/fruit-and-vegetables
https://www.scripps.org/news_items/4233-what-are-recommended-servings-of-fruits-and-vegetables
https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2023/08/29/prescribing-fruits-vegetables-health/
FRUITS AND VEGGIES: PRESCRIPTIONS FOR BETTER HEALTH
REPORT #3152
BACKGROUND: A healthy diet that includes a variety of healthy food helps promote overall health and manage weight. It’s recommended to add an array of colors to your plate and think of it as eating the rainbow. Dark, leafy greens, oranges, tomatoes, and even fresh herbs are loaded with vitamins, fiber, and minerals. Adding frozen peppers, broccoli, or onions to stews and omelettes gives them a quick and convenient boost of color and nutrients. Keeping the diet low in added sugars, sodium, saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol is important, as well as staying within your daily calorie needs. Eating your favorite foods, or comfort foods, that are high in calories, fat, or added sugar is ok, but recommended just occasionally.
(Source: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/healthy_eating/index.html)
BENEFITS OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES: Variety is just as important as quantity when it comes to consuming fruits and vegetables. There isn’t one fruit or vegetable that provides all the nutrients we need to be healthy. Therefore, a diet rich in both can lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, prevent some types of cancer, lower risk of eye and digestive problems, and have a positive effect upon blood sugar. Eating non-starchy fruits and vegetables like apples, pears, and green leafy vegetables may even promote weight loss as their low glycemic loads prevent blood sugar spikes that can increase hunger. Some tips to including more fruits and vegetables in your diet are keeping fruit where you can see it and it’s easily accessible. When you’re at the grocery store, explore the produce aisle and choose something new to try. Skip the potatoes and choose other vegetables that are packed with different nutrients and more slowly digested carbohydrates. Finally, try cooking new recipes that include more vegetables like salads, soups, and stir-fries.
(Source: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/vegetables-and-fruits/)
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES SUPPORT GUT HEALTH: A new study from Graz University of Technology in Austria says eating fruits and vegetables helps provide some bacterial diversity in the human gut, as well as
positively influencing the development of the immune system during infancy. Researchers created a catalogue of microbiome data from fruits and vegetables which allowed them to figure out which bacteria and other plant microorganisms come from each type of produce. They then compared their data with publicly available data from two studies on intestinal flora and were able to find evidence of fruit and vegetable microflora in the gut. “In my eyes, we have to rethink a lot of our current agricultural practices. For example, breeding for yield and resistance only, seed production and control, use of fertilizers and pesticides, food storage, and processing,” said Dr. Gabriele Berg, head of the Institute of Environmental Biotechnology at Graz University of Technology. These findings may affect how fresh fruits and vegetables are grown and packaged in the future because intense agriculture and horticulture is a strong driver of the environmental microbiome that influences human health, as well as planetary health.
* For More Information, Contact: Mary Mcalary
mary@newdayonelifenutrition.com
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