More Matters
When Malcolm and I sat down to decide what the focus for this month’s column would be, we decided that the “5 A Day” program would be a good topic. Actually, I think it was more Malcolm’s idea than mine. I expected this to be boring; after all, the program to encourage us to eat more fruits and vegetables has been widely publicized since 1991. For years now, schools, supermarkets, doctor’s offices and government agencies have been promoting the daily consumption of five servings of fruits and vegetables – the minimum number of servings needed to promote optimal health. In reality, 7 to 9 servings is the number we should be shooting for, but I rarely tell clients that; it scares them away because it seems like too much food, and a hard goal to reach.
Because of the longevity of the “5 A Day” program, I assumed everyone would know it. But when I surveyed a few Outpost customers and staff, I realized my assumption was incorrect. When I asked them if they were familiar with it, I received some interesting answers:
• One asked, “Five beers?” (There’s always a joker).
• Three people didn’t know.
• One thought it was something about healthy eating.
• One person did know the answer, but was confused about how that number of five should be divided.
• A seasoned produce department staff member said the number should be 10! (My hero.)
• Someone said it’s too hard to eat five, that’s why they “juice” instead.
• Another said, “I do, but I’m too lazy to cook.”
How about you? Confused? Take heart, because now there are new guidelines. While five a day is a reasonable goal, the Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2007 initiated a new program called “Fruits & Veggies – More Matters.”
The “More Matters” program still incorporates serving sizes, but relates them into measurements of cups. This does seem much easier to me. To determine how many servings of fruits and vegetables you should be consuming, go to www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov.
The web site will calculate how much you need based on your age, sex and activity level. My calculations resulted in a measurement of 1.5 cups of fruits and 2.5 cups of vegetables every day. I can do that!
What constitutes a cup of fruits and vegetables?
1 small apple
1 large banana
1 large bell pepper
1 large sweet potato
12 baby carrots
2 cups of lettuce
2 stalks of celery
1 cup cooked greens
“Fruits and Veggies – More Matters” is less about quantity and more about how to fit these fruits and veggies into our diets and busy lifestyles. All forms of produce count – fresh, canned, dried, 100% juice, cooked, raw and frozen. Check out the “More Matters” web site for recipes, videos, nutrition information, a kid’s center and a mom-to-mom question and answer center.
Will the new program work? Despite all the campaigns to promote fruit and vegetable intake, the average American eats only 3.6 daily servings of fruits and vegetables (2.2 servings of vegetables and 1.4 servings of fruits), according to a 2005 report. On any given day, the National Center for Health Statistics has found that 45 percent of children eat no fruit, and 20 percent eat less than one serving of vegetables. Meanwhile, 25 percent of all heart attacks, strokes, cancers and diabetes cases are attributed to diet.
There are so many barriers to consider, such as taste concerns, cost, time constraints and availability. Often, consumers are not willing to trade convenience for health.
In a country that has always embraced the idea that more is better (super-sized fries for example), it’s time for a shift toward eating more fruits and vegetables, and working toward good health. I can show you how!
Maybe Malcolm’s idea wasn’t so bad after all.
