Kids Aren't the Only Ones Who Need To Be Reminded Eat Their Greens

By SheSpeaksTeam Jul 24, 2015

It’s may be time to rethink dinner plans and make a little extra room on your plate for fruits and veggies tonight. A new study reveals how most of us are not consuming enough of either of these food groups to meet the federal recommendations for a healthy diet.

Reuters reports about the CDC study from the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion that analyzed the eating habits of Americans state by state. It turns out that on average less than 15% of us are getting enough fruits and vegetable on a daily basis.

Though in all states the majority of people are not consuming enough of these food groups, some states are worse off than others. Tennessee came in last with only 7.5% of their residents chowing down on enough fruits and vegetables. California came out on top with 17.7% of their residents meeting federal recommendations, but this still means that more than 80% of their residents do not meet the standards for healthy eating.

But when given the choice between fruits and vegetable it seems we are happier munching on something sweet. The study finds that 13% of people in the U.S. report eating enough fruit and only 8.9% eat enough vegetables.

And what constitutes “enough” you may ask? The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that those who are less active (taking part in less than 30 min of physical activity each day) should eat 1.5 to 2 cups of fruit per day and 2 or 3 cups of veggies. People who are more active can increase their servings of fruits and veggies without actually adding too many extra calories to their diet.

Author of the study Latetia V. Moore points out why it is imperative that we all start upping our fruit and veggie intake. She says, “Fruits and vegetables are major contributors of important nutrients that are typically lacking from Americans’ diets and they can protect against many leading causes of illness and death like heart disease, stroke and some cancers.” She adds, “Eating fruits and vegetables in place of foods that are high in calories, added sugars, and solid fat can also help with weight management.”

What do you think of the latest study that suggests we are not including enough fruits and vegetables in our diets?

Do you and your family meet the daily recommendations for fruit and vegetable intake?