WASHINGTON, March 16 (UPI) -- Americans still aren't eating enough fruits and vegetables, a new U.S. government report says.
A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey found about 32 percent of adults consumed fruit more than two times a day, and 27 percent ate vegetables three or more times a day -- far below the four to five cups a day recommended for most adults. The data was collected in 2005 from 305,504 participants in 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Shocking? No. But the nation's continued rejection of all things green and good is disheartening, experts say -- especially in a country where the leading causes of death are also highly preventable. Chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes can be, in part, derailed by a diet rich in vegetables.
Heard it before? So have most Americans. But apparently, "knowledge doesn't always lead to actually doing it," said Lona Sandon, a registered dietician and an assistant professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. "We're not making a conscious effort to make (eating vegetables) a habit."
For many people, it's the arduous task of washing, slicing, boiling and sautéing those green beans that makes takeout so enticing. But preparing vegetables doesn't have to become an exercise in gourmet cooking, said Sandon.
Tips for jumpstarting your new veggie-filled diet:
-- Buy premixed salad from the grocery store. You should eat a big salad at least once a day, either at lunch or dinner, Sandon said.
-- Snag a premade salad. Even if you're busy you can find a packaged salad, an increasingly popular option in grocery stores and restaurants. (And it's usually faster than waiting in line at the drive-thru, Sandon pointed out.)
-- Embrace the bite-sized veggie. Go for plum tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, baby carrots and pre-chopped onion and green peppers you can easily throw on top of your lunch or tuck away in your bag for a snack.
-- Choose vegetable-laden pizza. If you're going to eat pizza, don't hold the mushrooms, green peppers, olives and onions.
-- Make pasta primavera. Keep frozen veggies on hand to sprinkle into plain pasta or rice dishes. A few minutes before the pasta or rice is done, add the veggies and let them steam along with the dish.
-- Beans are a vegetable. They're also high in protein and a good source of vitamins. Two minutes of microwaved kidney beans, and voilà. Also, mix together beans with steamed frozen veggies and you have a meal in minutes, Sandon said.
-- Use salsa liberally. Salsa -- especially fresh salsa from your local deli -- counts as a vegetable serving, and it can go on top of salads, spaghetti, rice or baked potatoes. Just hold the chips.
-- Make hummus a dip. Hummus is made from chickpeas, so it is technically a kind of vegetable. Dip carrot sticks or green-pepper slices into hummus as a finger food.
-- Get to like olive oil. If you hate bland steamed veggies, add some garlic, olive oil and pepper to make your cauliflower or broccoli more enticing.
For more information:
eatright.org
mypyramid.gov/pyramid/vegetables.html
