Where's the Fruit & Veggies?

By Editorial Staff

It's on the recommended healthy foods lists of every major organization worldwide devoted to health. But where is it in the American diet? It's sorely missing on most people's plates, at least on a consistent basis.

According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention in a recent report, less than 15 percent of Americans manage to meet the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans' recommendation for daily fruit and vegetable consumption. We're talking about 10 percent who eat enough vegetables and 12 percent who eat enough fruit.

You might already appreciate this reality, either because you're one of the 85 percent who don't eat enough fruits and veggies - and/or see how many people around you are in the 85 percent club. But it's also important to appreciate the health value of getting enough of these nutrient-bursting items in your daily diet. Most of the major health conditions plaguing Americans these days stem in one capacity or another from poor diet. Type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease - all have unhealthy eating habits as a major risk factor. Low fruit and vegetable consumption plays a big role.

According to the CDC report, published in its Jan. 7, 2022 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a few demographic statistics jump out: Hispanics are most likely to meet the recommendation for daily fruit consumption (16.4 percent); males are the least likely to eat enough vegetables (only a little over 10 percent) and generally don't eat enough fruits and vegetables compared to females. Age also makes a difference: If you're over age 51, you're the most likely to eat enough vegetables; if you're younger, you're far less likely to eat enough.

Before you talk to your doctor about how to make fruits and vegetables a consistent staple of your daily diet, how much is enough? According to the 2020-25 recommendation, daily intake should be 1.5 to 2 cups of fruit and 2-3 cups of vegetables. How much is a medium-sized apple? A large sweet potato? An 8-ounce glass of 100 percent orange juice? To learn how to translate "cups" into actual pieces of fruit and veggies, click here.