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Fruits and Vegetables: Your Best Friend

The USDA Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee has identified a critical nutrient gap for potassium, fiber, and vitamins A and C. Fruits and vegetables are rich in each of these nutrients. USDA guidelines established a stronger role for fruits and vegetables in helping fight heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and cancer, and established a role for fruits and vegetables in helping people lose weight or maintain a healthy weight.

 

Cups of Fruits and Vegetables Recommended Per Day By Age & Gender
Person Cups of Fruits and
Vegetables a Day		 Daily Calorie Level
All kids aged 1-3, Girls aged 4-8 2½ cups 1,200
Boys aged 4-8 3 cups 1,400
Girls aged 9-13, Women aged 51+ 3½ cups 1,600
Boys aged 9-13, Girls aged 14-18, Women aged 31-50 4 cups 1,800
Women aged 19-30, Men aged 51+ 4½ cups 2,000
Boys aged 14-18, Men aged 19-50 5 cups 2,200
Active Boys and Men aged 14-30 5½ cups to 6½ cups 2,600 - 3,200

 

How Fruits and Vegetables Fill the Nutrition Gap

Studies show that a calorie-controlled low-fat diet that allows unlimited consumption of fruits and vegetables can lead to sustained weight loss. When we eat more low-calorie foods, such as fruits and vegetables, we naturally eat fewer high-calorie foods. Focusing on a positive message like "eat more fruits and vegetables" without emphasizing what you can't eat, allows you to lower calorie intake naturally.

Potassium: Blood pressure is directly related to the balance of sodium and potassium in the blood. It’s hard to believe that 75% of sodium consumed comes from processed foods and only 5 - 10% comes from added salt. Diets rich in potassium can lower blood pressure and help blunt the effects of salt on blood pressure. Health authorities recommend increasing intake of fruits and vegetables rich in potassium to lower high blood pressure or keep blood pressure within normal range.

  • Great sources of potassium include: sweet potatoes, white potatoes, winter squash, bananas, spinach, melons (cantaloupe and honeydew), beans like white beans, pinto beans, and kidney beans, and orange juice.

It's important to get potassium from food sources rather than supplements due to the likelihood that potassium works synergistically with other nutrients found in fruits and vegetables. Most will benefit from increased potassium intake even if their salt intake is low and their blood pressure is within normal range.

Fiber: Fiber helps maintain a healthy digestive tract and helps lower cholesterol. Bran cereal and whole wheat aren't the only good sources of fiber. In fact, most beans provide more than two times as much fiber per half cup as many whole grain cereals.

  • Great sources of fiber include beans like navy beans, kidney beans, and split peas, raspberries, pears, green peas, blackberries, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, dark leafy greens like spinach, parsnips, broccoli, and blueberries.

Vitamin C: In addition to being a powerful dietary antioxidant that protects cells from damage, vitamin C also strengthens blood vessels, maintains healthy gums, and helps absorb iron. Orange juice isn't the only great source of vitamin C.

  • Other great sources of vitamin C include papayas, green peppers, strawberries, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, grapefruit, peas, kiwi, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, mangoes, cauliflower, pineapple, dark leafy greens, cabbage, asparagus, honeydew melon, okra, watermelon, tangerines, winter squash, and summer squash.

Vitamin A: Vitamin A is important for vision, gene expression, healthy cell growth, immune function, and maintenance of healthy bones, teeth, and hair.

  • Great sources of vitamin A (carotenoids) include carrots, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, dark leafy greens like spinach, winter squash, red bell peppers, Chinese cabbage, and cantaloupe.

Magnesium: Magnesium is important for the development and maintenance of bones and activating the enzymes necessary for energy release.

  • Great sources of magnesium include cooked spinach, soybeans, white beans, black beans, lima beans, beet greens, navy beans, black-eyed peas, great northern beans, pinto beans, and kidney beans