Judy Dodd, MS, RD, LDN, Giant Eagle^® Corporate Nutritionist

These days, fruits and veggies rule! The Dietary Guidelines for Americans — as well as all other major agencies seeking to reduce our risks of heart disease, cancer and diabetes — advise us to focus on the produce aisles for better health.

Fruits and vegetables provide endless snacking choices. Nearly all are naturally low in fat; are good sources of fiber — and are major providers of several nutrients, including Vitamin A and Vitamin C. Even when produce has some fat, such as avocados do, the fat adds nutritional benefits to your diet. Produce also offers "phytonutrients," or nutrients found specifically in plant-based foods. In short, fruits and vegetables offer you a wide range of nutrition benefits for a healthy lifestyle. Their wonderful colors, another indicator of high nutrient values, also brighten up any meal or snack.

The "plate method" of healthy eating instructs us to fill half of each plate with fruits and vegetables for at least three meals each day. Your Recommended Daily Allowance of fruits and veggies varies with your age, gender, calorie needs, and physical activity level. Adults should aim for one and a half to three cups of fruit and two and a half to four cups of vegetables each day. (To check out portion sizes and options, read "Fresh Fruits and Veggies: Power Foods".)

Although our daily goals for fruits and vegetables are modest, many of us don't meet them. Fresh, frozen and canned fruits and vegetables all help you reach your daily goals — but how you cook and serve these foods affects your nutrition and calorie intake tremendously.

Try these easy ideas to put more fruits and veggies on your plate:

• Salads always satisfy nutrition requirements — but you can get creative with them by combining fruits with vegetables. Try a spinach salad with strawberries or raspberries, and add drained, canned mandarin oranges and slices of red onion. Add some slivered almonds or pine nuts for a touch of protein — or top your salad with low-fat feta cheese.
• Smoothies make eating fruits and vegetables more delicious. Often, we consider bananas, berries and peaches to be ideal smoothie ingredients, but adding some fresh spinach leaves produces a nutrient-rich drink that entices even the most finicky eaters.
• Dippable produce pleases people of all ages. Make your dip for fruits with a yogurt base, and swirl it with mashed, fresh berries or a touch of peanut or sunflower seed butter. Fruit dip tastes great with bananas or apples. Salsa, a vegetable in its own right, complements carrots, celery and jicama sticks nicely.
• Learn to cook vegetables with perfection — they should be slightly crunchy. Stir-fry them, prep them in microwave-friendly bags, or steam them to keep colors vibrant and nutrition high. Instead of drowning your veggies in cheese, grate fresh Parmesan or Romano to add a hint of cheese flavor without added salt.
• Add thinly sliced bell peppers, cucumbers or radishes to salads, sandwiches and wraps.
• Enliven cooked greens with a splash of vinegar.

Need more ideas? Email Nutrition@gianteagle.com.

September 2010