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Why Does More Matter?

Fruits and veggies are high in fiber, vitamins and minerals that, when consumed regularly, may help reduce the risk of many chronic diseases. When coupled with regular exercise, a diet rich in fruits and veggies will help keep your body in tip-top shape and have you looking and feeling better than ever . . . every day!

» Fruits and veggies provide the unrivaled combination of great taste, nutrition and abundant variety.

» Eating fruits and veggies matters in maintaining a healthy weight and may reduce the risk of many diseases.

» All forms count: fresh, frozen, canned, dried and 100% juice.

» Eating a colorful variety of fruits and veggies provides a wide range of valuable nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and potassium.

» Every step taken towards eating more fruits and veggies and getting more physical activity helps families be at their best.

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Keep it colorful!

It’s time to be adventurous and try new and interesting varieties of fruits and veggies. Remember—variety is key in the quest for good health. A broad range of color equals a broad range of nutrients.

It is important to have a colorful variety of fruits and veggies every day, and snacks are a great way to include them in your diet. Snacking on fruits and veggies of different colors—red, dark green, yellow, blue, purple, white and orange—provides the broadest range of nutrients.

Research shows that people who eat generous amounts of colorful fruits and veggies as part of a healthy diet are likely to have reduced risk of chronic diseases including stroke, type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer, and perhaps heart disease and high blood pressure.

So, the next time you prepare a meal or snack, try a delicious and eye-catching rainbow of fruits and veggies!

Colorful fruits and veggies are great sources of vitamins and minerals that can help protect your health, such as:
Fiber
Diets rich in dietary fiber have been shown to have a number of beneficial effects, including decreased risk of coronary heart disease.
Magnesium
This important mineral supports normal muscle and nerve function, a steady heart rhythm and a healthy immune system.
Folate
Healthful diets with adequate folate may reduce a woman’s risk of having a child with a brain or spinal cord defect.
Potassium
Diets rich in potassium may help to maintain a healthy blood pressure.
Vitamin A
Adequate amounts of Vitamin A keep eyes and skin healthy and help protect against infection.
Vitamin C
This valuable vitamin helps heal cuts and wounds and keeps teeth and gums healthy.

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Moving beyond 5 A Day

If you’ve been working to get five servings a day, good for you! But now studies are showing that we need even more. That’s why 5 A Day is changing to Fruits & Veggies—More Matters™.
The new guidelines are in terms of cups per day instead of servings. Adults should consume 3 1/2 to
6 1/2 cups of fruits and vegetables daily depending on their age, sex, and level of physical activity.

» All forms of fruits and veggies count: fresh, frozen, canned, dried and 100% juice.

» In general, 1 cup of raw or cooked vegetables or vegetable juice, or 2 cups of raw leafy greens are considered to be 1 cup from the vegetable group.

»In general, 1 cup of fruit or 100% fruit juice,
1 medium to large piece of fruit, or 1/2 cup of
dried fruit are considered to be 1 cup from the
fruit group. (Visit Mypyramid.gov for more specific information.)

Remember, veggies are healthier when prepared with only small amounts of added fat, sugars and sodium. Use salt and high-fat additions like cheese, butter and oil sparingly or skip them altogether. Try perking up flavor with fresh or dried herbs or cinnamon.

Get Kids Started Early

Establishing healthy habits at a young age can lead to a lifetime of health benefits. To get kids excited about eating fruits and veggies, try the following tips:

» Wash and slice fruits and veggies and keep them on hand for quick snacks. Kids love finger foods!

»Encourage kids to pick out new and unique varieties of fruits and veggies. Put them in charge of choosing lunches or side dishes and let them have fun exploring the produce department.

» Don’t forget the importance of eye appeal. Layer blueberries, red raspberries and green kiwis with yogurt in a fun parfait glass or create a rainbow-colored fruit salad.

»The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends giving juice only to children past 6 months of age and, even then, limiting juice to 4–6 ounces per day.

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Quick tips for better health

To boost your veggie servings:

» Buy pre-washed, pre-cut veggies. The convenience is well worth any extra cost, and you’ll be more likely to eat them.

»Add veggies into breakfast omelettes. Chopped tomatoes, green or red peppers and onions are traditional favorites that provide flavor and nutrition.

» Add to lunch sandwiches. Grated carrots, sprouts or slices of avocado make delicious additions!

» Start each meal with a tossed salad. Save time by dressing up a bag of ready-to-eat salad greens with pre-cut items from the salad bar.

» Pureed or cut into chunks, veggies can really amp up the nutrients in your spaghetti sauce.

» Buy low- or reduced-sodium soup in a can and add fresh or frozen broccoli, beans, carrots, kale and other greens for a meal that’s superfast and superhealthy!

» Load up on salsa! It’s low in calories and high in both health benefits and versatility. Use it with everything from eggs to baked potatoes.

To add more fruit to your diet:

»Start your day off right by having fruit with breakfast every day.

»End it the same way—fruit for dessert! Need some new ideas? Microwave an apple or pear and sprinkle with cinnamon or top low-fat ice cream with canned cherries.

» Keep a fruit bowl at your desk, on your kitchen counter or wherever you spend the most time.

»Rely on dried fruit as a portable snack that will satisfy sweet cravings. It’s great for traveling or snacking in the car and has a long shelf life. Try something different such as dried mango or papaya chunks, available in the produce department.

» Expand the way you think about fruit! In addition to snacks and desserts, fruit also makes a sweet addition to meals. Add dried cranberries to chicken, turkey or pork recipes, toss grapes into chicken or tuna salad and add fresh or dried fruit to tossed green salads.

» Go exotic! Have you ever tried a pomegranate, lychee or star fruit? Break out of your fruit rut and see what you’ve been missing!

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Your Fruits & Veggies—
More Matters shopping list

You know that more matters, but where do you start? At the grocery store! For some new ideas, check out the following shopping list and start your journey toward looking and feeling better.

 

 

More Matters shopping list
Fresh Fruit	Frozen
Avocado Kiwi Pomegranate Mango Starfruit Blackberries Cranberries Cherries Pineapple Papaya Rhubarb Plums Tangerines	Brussels Sprouts Edamame Stir-Fry Medley Soup or Stew Blends Veggie Burgers Winter Squash Berry Blends Peaches
Fresh vegetables	Canned/jarred
Artichoke Banana Peppers Green, Purple or White Asparagus Zucchini or Yellow Squash Spaghetti or Acorn Squash Beets Collard Greens Exotic Mushrooms Eggplant Fennel Leeks Radishes Shallots Parsnips Turnips Zucchini	Garbanzo Beans Crushed Tomatoes Diced Tomatoes Spaghetti Sauce Low- or Reduced-Sodium Vegetable Soups No Sugar Added or Unsweetened Applesauce Fruit Cocktail in Juice 100% Fruit Juice Low-Sodium Vegetable Juice Fruit Salsa
	Dried
	Raisins Dried Plums Cranberries Apricots Cherries Mangoes Pineapple Apple Rings

 

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Don’t forget about safety!

Now that you’ve made a commitment to eat “more,” let’s talk about keeping produce safe. Our food supply is the safest in the world, but organisms you can’t see, smell or taste are everywhere in the environment. Proper handling of fruits and veggies can help keep your family safe and healthy, too!

Buying Produce

Select produce that is not bruised or damaged. If produce is pre-cut, choose only those items that are chilled in ice or refrigerated. Make sure to bag fresh fruits and veggies separately from meat, poultry and seafood products.

Storage Tips

Perishable items such as fresh berries, cucumbers and lettuce as
well as pre-cut or peeled produce should be kept refrigerated at
40 degrees F or below. Ask a produce associate if you aren’t sure which items to refrigerate. Make sure to refrigerate
all cut, peeled or cooked fresh fruits and veggies within two hours.

Safe Preparation

Make sure to thoroughly wash all unpackaged fruits and vegetables—including those with skins and rinds that are not eaten. As an added precaution, even pre-cut, bagged produce items that are pre-washed should be washed again before serving.
Start with clean hands and use a clean produce brush on firm fruits and veggies. For berries and similar fragile items, rinse thoroughly under running tap water.
Dry produce with a paper towel to further reduce any bacteria.

Additional Tips

Always keep fresh produce that will be eaten raw away from raw meat, poultry and seafood. Always wash cutting boards, counter tops and utensils with hot water and soap between the preparation of raw meats and the preparation of produce that will not be cooked in order to avoid cross-contamination. Kitchen sanitizers or a solution of one teaspoon bleach to one quart of water can be used for additional kitchen clean-up.

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Recipes

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