Take a quick mental inventory of everything you have eaten today. Have you had a few good servings of fruits and veggies? If yes, great job! If not, then you are not alone…unfortunately. According to a recent survey by the CDC, only around 10% of adults eat the recommended daily intake of vegetables and only around 12% eat the recommended intake of fruits.1 As a population it seems that we are definitely missing the mark.
The current Dietary Guidelines for Americans advises that in order to maintain a healthy diet, eating fruits and vegetables is key. Their recommendation for adults is around 1.5-2 cups per day of fruit and 2-3 cups of veggies per day. A healthy diet that’s filled phytonutrients from fresh fruits and veggies is important in helping to support immune function, prevent obesity and lower risk factors related to other diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. 1
Feeling a little bit overwhelmed trying to fit all those fruits and vegetables into your day? Here are a few of our favorite tips to help increase your intake:
- Blend It Up – Adding some fresh fruit and even kale or spinach to your morning smoothie is a fantastic way to start the day off when an extra dose of phytonutrients.
- Modify Recipes – Trying to cook a bunch of new recipes can be a bit intimidating. Instead, look for ways to add more produce to the recipes you are already regularly eating. Pizza night? Add some extra veggies as toppings! Taco Tuesday? Maybe turn it into a taco salad! Finding ways to add more nutrients to the recipes you already love is great way to stay more consistent in the long haul.
- Involve The Family – Getting the whole family involved in selecting fruits and vegetables they love – and trying some new ones in the process – can turn eating healthy into a fun activity for everyone.
- Consider Supplementation – While there is no replacement for fresh fruits and vegetables, adding a phytonutrient supplement to your routine, like AdvoGreens® Greens Powder and Reds Powder can help to fill in nutritional gaps if your diet isn’t up to par on certain days. For more on supplementation, check out our article Doc Talk: Can We Take Too Many Supplements?
Here’s a great video with additional ideas on including more fruits and vegetables into your routine:
SOURCES:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, January 6). Adults meeting fruit and vegetable intake recommendations – United States, 2019. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved July 19, 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7101a1.htm?s_cid=mm7101a1_w
