One of the tried and true recommendations for a healthy diet is eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. What exactly does “plenty” mean?

Depending on your caloric intake the latest dietary guidelines call for five to thirteen servings of fruits and vegetables a day (2½ to 6½ cups per day). If this seems like a lot then consider that this amount translates into nine servings, or4½ cups per day (2 cups of fruit and 2½ cups of vegetables).

This is far more than most Americans consume daily. The average American gets a total of just three servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

For those who needs 2,000 calories a day to maintain normal weight and health, your body simply requires plenty of fruit and vegetables daily.

Besides the fact that they are good for your overall health, eating plenty of vegetables and fruits can help you ward off heart disease and stroke, control blood pressure, prevent some types of cancer, and guard against cataract and macular degeneration, two common causes of vision loss.

After decades of research, science has developed a solid base to back up what generations of mothers taught us, but rarely practice themselves. In the beginning of the research fruits and vegetables were acclaimed as cancer-fighting foods.

In the study there was a push to promote the 5 A Day message. It was promoted in part by the National Cancer Institute and the Center for Disease Control in magazine ads, produce aisles, and in schools. That message is now quietly changing to simply encourage Americans to eat more fruits and vegetables. Although the latest research suggests that the greatest benefit from eating fruits and vegetables is for the heart.

For more information about the 5 A Day program visit: http://www.5aday.gov/

Watch for our next report on the beneficial effects of eating more fruits and vegetables.

Till then,

Chip Clark

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