William Penn Life, 2003 (38. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

2003-09-01 / 9. szám

HealthPage Eating more fruits and vegetables is important for good health THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT Ameri­can adults are eating more fruits and vegetables, nearing the minimum of "5 A Day" for better health. But, many Americans should strive to eat up to nine daily servings. "It's time to let Americans know that the recommendation is really '5 to 9' servings," explained Lorelei DiSogra, Ed.D., R.D., director of the 5 A Day Program at the National Cancer Institute (NCI). According to the Dietary Guide­lines for Americans, released jointly by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in 2000, children ages two to six should eat five servings of fruits and vegetables a day for good health; children over age six, active women, and teens should eat seven; and active teen boys and men should eat nine." The recommendation to eat five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables a day dates back to 1991 when the USDA first published the Food Guide Pyramid. The pyramid recommends eating two to four servings of fruits and three to five servings of veg­etables every day for a total of five to nine daily servings. In 1999, USDA published an additional pyramid for young chil­dren specifying that children ages two to six should eat three servings of vegetables and two servings of fruit for a total of five servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Scientific findings continue to support the importance of eating more colorful fruits and vegetables because they may reduce the risk for heart disease, hypertension, certain types of cancer, diabetes and other diseases. Although eating more fruits and vegetables, a relatively simple lifestyle change, could have a profound impact on the nation's health, ap­proximately 70 percent of American adults and children are still not eating enough. According to DiSorga, "colorful fruits and vegetables—green, yellow/ orange, red, blue/ purple, and white— provide essential vitamins, minerals, fiber, and several hundred unique disease-fighting phytochem-icals that work together....Only fruits and vegetables, not pills or supplements, can provide all of these health benefits." Even people who are trying to lose weight could benefit from eating more fruits and vegetables because they are naturally low in calories and high in fiber and water. Eating fruits and vegetables and engaging in frequent physical activity are two important lifestyle behaviors for weight control. More than 60 percent of adults in the U.S. are overweight or obese. What is a serving? What counts towards 5 A Day? All varieties of fruits and vegetables - fresh, frozen, canned, dried and 100 percent juice. A serving size is smaller than many people think. The National Cancer Institute, co-sponsor of the 5 A Day for Better Health program, defines a serving as: • One medium-sized fruit (ex. apple, orange, banana) • 1/2 cup raw, cooked, canned or frozen fruits/vegetables • 3/4 cup (6 oz.) of 100 percent fruit or vegetable juice • 1/2 cup cut-up fruit • 1/2 cup cooked or canned legumes (beans and peas) • I cup of raw, leafy vegetables (ex. lettuce, spinach) • 1/4 cup dried fruit (ex. raisins, apricots, mango) 6 Mil limn I’enn Lile, September 2003

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