Enjoy the Produce

I love summertime.

I enjoy the warm weather, the green grass and trees and all the beautiful flowers.

Most of all I enjoy the plethora of fresh fruits and vegetables that are available this time of year. Whether you grow your own, pick it up at the Farmer’s Market or your local grocery store, fruits and veggies are in season. They are inexpensive and taste great.

No excuses for inadequate fruit and vegetable intake this time of year.

Many professional associations and organizations recommend five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables each day for numerous health benefits.

Fruits and vegetables contain essential vitamins, minerals and fiber that may help protect you from chronic diseases.

Compared with people who consume a diet with only small amounts of fruits and vegetables, those who eat more generous amounts as part of a healthful diet are likely to have reduced risk of chronic diseases, including stroke and perhaps other cardiovascular diseases, and certain cancers.

To get a healthy variety, think color. Eating fruits and vegetables of different colors gives your body a wide range of valuable nutrients, like fiber, folate, potassium and vitamins A and C.

Some examples include green spinach, orange sweet potatoes, black beans, yellow corn, purple plums, red watermelon and white onions.

For more variety, try new fruits and vegetables regularly.

The benefits of consuming fruits and vegetables cannot be found in a pill or supplement.

Foods contain a complex mix of nutrients, many of which science has yet to discover. Nutrients should come from food.

Five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables is equivalent to approximately two to three cups of vegetables and 1˝ to 2˝ cups of fruits every day.

One small apple, one large orange or one medium pear equals one cup. One-half of a banana, sixteen grapes, one large plum or four large strawberries equal one-half cup. For veggies, one large pepper, two large celery stalks or 12 baby carrots equal one cup.

Incorporate fruits and vegetables into every meal. Plan for fruit at breakfast; eat it as a snack and as a dessert after meals. Fruit can be a great replacement for something sweet.