Americans don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables. Try 4 tips to change that

Surprisingly, ninety percent of Americans don’t eat enough vegetables and fruit. That’s right, only one in ten of us is getting enough fruit and vegetables. While eating produce is a relatively easy everyday health-promoting habit, there are very real barriers that get in the way.

Read on for tips to help prioritize and consume more fruit and veggies.

So when it comes to fruit and vegetables, how much is enough? Ideally, aim for five to seven total servings of fruit and veggies daily. A serving is typically defined as a medium piece of fruit, one cup of raw fruit or vegetables and one-half cup of cooked vegetables.

Eating more produce is associated with a decreased risk of developing health concerns like heart disease, stroke, certain types of cancer, eye problems and digestive concerns. Not only are fruit and vegetables rich sources of fiber and mostly low in calories, but they contain a wide variety of phytonutrients that are not readily available from other foods.

The availability, affordability and quality of produce seem to impact how much we eat. Those who eat more fruit and vegetables are more likely to be women and age 51 years and older. People living below or near the poverty level eat the fewest fruit and vegetables. However, even having access to these healthful foods, a taste preference for them and an understanding of their benefits doesn’t seem to make a serious difference in consumption.