10 Ways to Get 10 Fruit and Vegetable Servings Every Day

The recommendations for fruit and vegetable intake are now nine to eleven per day. Fruits and vegetables are necessary, not just for vitamins, minerals, and fiber, but also for phytochemicals and other nutrients scientists are still discovering. Whatever nature has put in these delicious foods can help keep you feeling healthier and help your body feel younger. Research also finds that populations who consume lots of fruit and vegetables have lower incidence of several types of cancer. So how can you get more of these into your daily diet? I have a list of 10 ideas:

1. add vegetables to your omelets for breakfast

2. top your breakfast cereal (hot or cold) with fruit: raisins, blueberries, bananas

3. drink pure fruit or vegetable juice instead of other beverages (orange juice, tomato juice, V8 or V8 splash)

4. have a bowl of vegetable soup for lunch or as a snack

5. make desserts with fresh fruit, like an apple crisp or peach cobbler or pumpkin bread

6. cut up vegetables and keep them in a bowl of water in your fridge so they are visible when you open the refrigerator door; grab some for a snack whenever you feel like munching

7. when you order a pizza, top it with mushrooms, green pepper, olives, onions, or pineapple instead of sausage and pepperoni

8. serve a salad with supper. Not just lettuce: add tomatoes, cucumbers, broccoli and cauliflower

9. add vegetables to some of your favorite dishes, like pasta, or meatloaf, or casseroles

10. make a fresh fruit smoothie: freeze fresh fruit slices, then add with skim milk to your blender for a fat-free, low cal healthy tasty treat!

Now, write down 3 of the above techniques you can start employing this week. Resolve to start adding fruits and vegetables to your diet at each meal and snack. Not only will you reap the benefits of the extra nutrition you'll be getting, but these healthy low-fat and low-calorie foods will be replacing other foods that are probably less nutritious. The result may very well be taking off those extra few pounds you've been carrying around!

How many more fruits and vegetables can you add every day? Give yourself a goal and go for it!

Laurie Beebe, a registered dietitian certified in adult weight management, has transitioned into diet coaching. Coaching helps dramatically by allowing people to set their own goals and design their own action plans. Please visit Laurie's website, "Shaping Your Future" at http://www.mycoachlaurie.com for diet tips, links to great books and websites, or to sign up for a free monthly newsletter!

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