FitSugar

How Many Servings of Fruits and Veggies Do You Eat Daily?

FitSugar — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 09:00:00 -0700

On the heels of the good news that cancer deaths are down comes America's grade on health - a C-minus. It may be a passing grade, but just barely.

Although we all know eating well and exercising regularly are key to good health, as a nation we are seriously slacking. One surprising statistic was that smoking rates had barely budged in 18 years. I find this shocking because quitting smoking is the best thing a person can do for their health. Fitness-wise, as a nation we are exercising less and eating worse. Only 26 percent of the participants from the rather large pool used for the poll ate five or more servings of fruit and veggies daily. I found that number rather disheartening.

I am curious about you all and if you are in the minority, part of the 26 percent, who eat an average five servings of fruits and veggies daily.

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Can You Identify the Produce?

FitSugar — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 09:00:00 -0700

Last night on the Biggest Loser a lot of the contestants were not able to identify certain foods in the produce section of the grocery store. Fruits and veggies can be hard to identify but knowing what's what is key to eating a healthy diet, so I'm curious how well you know your produce. Take this little quiz and see if you can identify different types of produce.

Question 1 of 10

These are called what?

Healthy Eating Tip: Wash Produce You're Going to Peel

FitSugar — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 09:00:00 -0700

You're probably already eating a good amount of fruits and vegetables but are you washing them all? I recently went to eat a banana and someone said, "Aren't you going to wash that first?" I thought, well no because I am going to peel it. But should I? So I did a little investigative work and here is what I found out: you should wash all fruits and vegetables, even those that you only eat the inside of, like bananas, kiwis, mangos, etc. Imagine how many hands and things touch the fruit before it actually gets to your mouth. Your hands could pick up the bacteria on the unwashed peel and transfer it onto the part you eat. This goes for all fruits and vegetables that you may peel before eating, so why not wash them first? It only takes a few seconds.

Do you already wash produce you're going to peel or not eat the skins of?

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Are You a Fruit Person or Veggie Person?

FitSugar — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 03:30:00 -0700

Food psychologist Dr. Brian Wansink has recently made the comparison between fruit lovers and veggie lovers to come up with these findings:

Compared to the average person, vegetable lovers:

Like to try new recipes and entertain at home
Enjoy spicy foods
Think you cook nutritiously
Enjoy an occasional glass of wine

Compared to the average person, fruit lovers:

Often eat dessert with dinner
Spend little time cooking
Avoid new recipes and entertaining
Enjoy an occasional candy bar

So what about you, are you a fruit person or a veggie person? And do the good doctor's findings resonate with you?

Thanks to user wackdoodle for the tip!

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Healthy Eating Tip: Spend More on Veggies Than Supplements

FitSugar — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 10:45:00 -0800

When browsing a health-food store, it can be tempting to spend a good bit of time (and money) in the supplement aisle. While supplements are a good safety net for filling the nutrient gaps created by not eating all your fruits and veggies, you should not rely on them. Almost all nutritionists will tell you that supplements are a good supplement (hence the name) to fruits and veggies, but they pale in comparison to the real thing. So spend your money on the fresh stuff and reap the benefits later.

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Fruit & Vegetable of the Month Club: Cactus

FitSugar — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 08:45:00 -0700

If you are getting bored with the same old fruits and veggies you're eating with your five-a-day plan, then you may want to start learning about some more unusual items that you may want to add to your diet now and again.

The FDC's Fruit & Vegetable of the Month Club is a great reference for trying out new stuff. There is a new featured fruit or vegetable each month complete with a recipe. One of this month's featured veggies is cactus, something I would have never thought to add to my diet. However cactus pads actually contain beta carotene, iron, some B vitamins, and are good sources of both vitamin C and calcium.

Want to learn an easy recipe for making cactus? Then read more

Sautèed Nopales, Peppers and Corn
Makes 4 servings
Each serving equals 2 cups of fruit or vegetables

Ingredients

1 large red bell pepper
1 large green bell pepper
1 large onion
1 Tbsp trans-fat free butter
4 small ears of small summer corn
½ lb fresh, firm edible cactus, deprickered, cut in ¼ to ½-inch dice
finely minced cilantro or parsley

Halve peppers, then remove seeds and stems. Cut into ¼–½ inch squares. Cut onions the same size. Cook both vegetables in butter in a heavy pan over moderate heat until just softened.

Shuck corn, than cut from cob. Add edible cactus and corn to peppers and onion; stir over high heat until vegetables are cooked through, but firm-tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with herbs and serve hot.

Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 184, Protein 6g, Fat 4g, Calories From Fat 20%, Cholesterol 8mg, Carbohydrates 32g, Fiber 4g, Sodium 29mg.

(via FruitsandVeggiesMatter.com)

Print recipe with images | without images

Now I'm going to have to go ask YumSugar where the heck I need to go to buy edible cactus...

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To Refrigerate or Not: That is The Question

FitSugar — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 03:00:00 -0700

Maybe you're on a quest to get your five fruits and vegetables in a day, but the darn things go bad before you even get a chance to enjoy them. What gives?

According to VegetarianTimes.com, some fruits emit ethylene, an odorless, colorless gas that speeds ripening and can lead to the premature decay of nearby ethylene-sensitive vegetables. So the first trick to keeping produce fresh is to separate produce that emits ethylene from produce that's sensitive to it and know which to refrigerate and which not to refrigerate.

REFRIGERATE these gas releasers
Apples
Apricots
Cantaloupe
Figs
Honeydew

What shouldn't you refrigerate and what shouldn't be kept in contact with others? Then read more

DON'T REFRIGERATE these gas releasers
Avocados
Bananas, unripe
Nectarines
Peaches
Pears
Plums
Tomatoes

KEEP THESE AWAY from all gas releasers
Bananas, ripe
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Lettuce and other leafy greens
Parsley
Peas
Peppers
Squash
Sweet potatoes
Watermelon

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How Many Times Do You Eat Fruit & Veggies in a Day?

FitSugar — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 15:45:00 -0700

Recent reports are showing that while most of us know the benefits of eating enough fruits and vegetables in a day, we aren't actually eating them. In fact only 32.6 percent of adults are eating fruit two or more times per day, and only 27.2 percent are eating vegetables three or more times a day. The recommended amount is currently at least five (fruits or veggies, or both) a day.

So I am curious about you guys -- How many times do you eat fruits & veggies in a day?

Is it OK to Drink Your Daily Amount of Fruits and Veggies?

FitSugar — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 04:00:00 -0700

A lot of us are short on time so the best option for getting our daily servings of fruit and veggies may seem to be drinking it (V8, for example). The problem is that new studies show that drinking your daily amount is not the best choice for your health.

A few reasons support this. First of all, most fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants in the skins and peels, which do not make it into juice. Furthermore, solid fruits and veggies also provide dietary fiber not found in juice. Bacteria in our colon break down soluble fiber, producing fatty acids that some studies suggest protects our colon against cancer.

What's more? Fruit and veggie drinks are often high in calories, but we don't often take this (or reduce our calorie intake for other foods) into consideration when drinking them. When we eat fiber-rich food such as fruits and vegetables, however, we tend to feel full and thus, eat fewer calories.

Fit's Tip: Since only one in four of us are getting our daily fruits and veggies, I would say that the juice is better than nothing every once in a while, but always try for the real thing first. How many fruits and veggies do you eat in a day? Take the poll.

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Another Reason to Eat More Fruits and Veggies

FitSugar — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 15:30:00 -0800

Does the man in your life eat enough fruits and veggies?

A recent study reports that men who don't eat a lot of fruits and veggies may be less fertile than those men that eat plenty of fruits and veggies.

The antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables may help prevent sperm damage, which causes them to become sluggish and unable to fertilize an egg. Mainly the antioxidants that are found in brightly colored produce such as leafy greens, tomatoes, peppers and oranges, were associated with strong, healthy sperm.

Looking to start a family? Then, you may want to start by feeding your man a big salad and some pomegranate juice.

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