Recommendations for vegetable and fruit consumption
Benefits of vegetables and fruit
A deeper look at colors of the rainbow in vegetables, fruit, and more!
Activity - put more colors in these meals
Plants, Colors, and Nutrients
Many natural plant colors are pigments - and nutrients! You can see colors in your neighborhood. Orange succulents…anything green…and fruits and vegetables…they’re all examples of colorful nutrients.
For example…
Lycopene is red
Beta-carotene is orange
Lutein and zeaxanthin are yellow
Chlorophyll is green
Anthocyanins are blue/purple
Allicin is white
Vegetable and Fruit Recommendations
General recommendations for fruit and vegetable consumption are to eat a high amount and to choose a wide variety.
A 2,000-calorie diet should include 2 ½ -3 cups of vegetables per day.
A 2,000-calorie diet should include 1-2 cups of fruit per day.
Colors are nutrients - so aim for a wide variety of colors to get a wide variety of nutrients!
Why should we eat so many servings and types of vegetables and fruit?
Vegetables and fruit are nutritious!
Some of their nutrients are nutrients that most Americans need more of. Examples are fiber, iron, and potassium.
Some of their nutrients are nutrients that may be beneficial in higher amounts. Examples are vitamin C and fiber.
Vegetables and fruit support a healthy weight. They’re relatively low in calories for a large serving size. They’re high in water and fiber, making them more filling.
Vegetables and fruit have health benefits. People who eat more fruits and vegetables may have these benefits.
Heart health
Hypertension
Skin health
Cancer prevention
Digestive health
Cholesterol
Mental health
Bone health
Diabetes
“Eating the Rainbow” Can Guide Healthy Choices
Plant pigments are nutrients. The same chemicals that create colors in other plants are the chemicals that make fruits and vegetables colored. These chemicals, or pigments, are also nutrients.
There are over 25,000 phytonutrients, or nutrients in plants. The wider variety of fruits and vegetables you eat, the wider variety of phytonutrients you can get. Eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables to get a variety of nutrients.
Achieving Recommendations for Fruits and Vegetables
Getting your 4-5 cups per day may seem like a lot, but it’s easier when you break it down and include vegetables and/or fruit at most meals and snacks. Here’s a simple sample guide.
Meal / Snack 🍽️
Target Servings 📊
Easy Example 💡
Breakfast
1 Fruit OR 1 Vegetable
1 cup of blueberries in oatmeal — or — 1 cup of spinach scrambled into eggs
Lunch
1 Fruit AND 1 Vegetable
A crunchy turkey whole-grain wrap with lettuce & tomatoes, plus a crisp apple on the side
Dinner
2 Vegetables
Shrimp or salmon over pasta loaded with steamed broccoli florets and sliced carrots
Plain Meal/Snack 😕
Colorful Meal/Snack 🤩
Pasta, alfredo sauce
Shrimp/salmonwhole-grain pasta primavera with broccoli and carrots
Sandwich, pretzels
Turkey, whole-grain wrap, lettuce, basil, tomatoes, with apple or grapes
Scrambled eggs, toast
Scrambled eggs with spinach, tomatoes, and onions, side of blueberries
Chicken and rice
Chicken curry with cauliflower, tomatoes, peas, and spices like cumin, coriander, fenugreek, curry powder, and brown rice
Burger and fries
Veggie burger with corn and beans, lettuce and tomatoes, baked zucchini and sweet potato fries
Oatmeal and honey
Oatmeal, pureed pumpkin or butternut squash, pecans, cinnamon, and strawberries, apple, or blueberries
Let’s Look at the Colors and Make a Rainbow Eating Plan!
Planning helps! Try identifying fruits and vegetables of various colors, and thinking of how you can include them in your regular routine. You can use your own paper or go here to download and print this colorful diet worksheet.
After this webinar…
Identify 3-5 colorful vegetables and/or fruits you want to include
Find them in your kitchen or add them to your shopping list
Share your beautiful rainbow meals in our Facebook group!
