Daily Steps to Health: Include Fruits and Vegetables

Everybody knows that fruits and vegetables are healthy choices, they're full of fiber and vitamins, and they can ward off illness and disease. We all realize that we ought to eat more of them and we all remember that Mom told us about it, but were we listening?

No, we aren't. We're taking a quick trip to the closest fast food place and driving around with our greasy fingers on the wheel while we wolf down burgers, and fries, and sodas. Okay, perhaps you're doing better than the average bear. Let's say you don't each lunch through your car window on a daily basis. Good for you. But how often do you consume pre-packaged foods? When's the last time you indulged in a comfort food like potato chips or Oreos? These foods are cheap, convenient, and easy to access. And, let's face it, they make us feel good when we eat them... at least, for a little while.

We could even grab celery, or grapes, or a pear. Simply wash and slice and they are ready to go. Or you could make a quick salad of raw veggies, like carrots, cauliflower, and celery and toss them in Italian dressing. Studies show that we are not eating enough vegetables and researchers are finding out. Nutritional experts hope to wake us up to healthy eating and inspire us with five-a-day campaigns that remind us that we should be eating at least five servings daily of vegetables and fruits.

IT might seem difficult to eat 5 fruits and veggies a day. Here a few good ideas to help you get your five. Put together a basket of fruit to keep on your desk. Having cereal? Toss in some fruit. Cooking up a batch of flapjacks or waffles? Throw in some blueberries or bananas, or even some strawberries. Yummy! Fruit is portable and makes a wonderful snack.

Is it vegetables that you're having a hard time increasing? No problem. Add a salad to your lunch. When dining out, you should order sandwiches with tomatoes, lettuce or sprouts. You can add cans of pureed vegetables to muffins or cakes, or combine them in sauces and soups.

Celery with peanut butter or cream cheese is easy to do and it makes a savory snack for your afternoon break or an after-school treat for the kids. Since kids never seem to like anything for longer than a day anyway, simply make sure to offer them various foods. Some folks believe in bribing kids with dessert, as in, "eat that broccoli and then you can have cake, but this seems to make vegetables even less appealing. I have often wondered what society would be like if we turned that around!

How about some broccoli after that chocolate cake? Fruit and vegetable juices are another delicious and refreshing way to meet your goal of five servings a day. Juice does not provide you with any additional fiber for your diet. And in many cases, children will drink their fill of juice and not have any appetite left for their meals. Juices also often have more calories than the fruit they come from.

It is impossible to deny that fruits and veggies deliver tremendous health benefits. If you are getting your 5 servings every day you have half the chance of contracting several types of cancer than people who are only getting about 2 servings each day. Fruits and vegetables also help in the reduction of risks of adult blindness, strokes, and heart attacks.

We've all heard this and probably recognize the truth of it, but we still make up a million and one excuses for not eating right. Some folks claim they are too busy to chop and dice vegetables, and others claim these foods cost too much. Still others claim that by the time they are ready to bite into a fresh piece of fruit, it has already rotted.

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