An apple a day will NOT keep the doctor away...
Patrick Martin
Governments have been pushing for increased fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption for years because of their potential for prevention of various health conditions and diseases [1, 2].
The lack of F&V consumption and disregard for government guidelines may be contributing to the rise of non-communicable disease as the leading cause for global mortality [7]. A suboptimal diet is currently the leading risk factor for non-communicable disease [4].
Simply knowing what a serving of fruit and/or vegetables (F&Vs) looks like may put you ahead of the curve.
Hint: a grape from the cheeseboard is not quite a serving…
What is a F&V serving?
Generally, half a cup of chopped vegetables or berries, a medium sized fruit, or one cup of leafy greens constitute one serving of F&Vs. Health Canada makes it real easy here.
While it may sound easy in principle, only one in five people worldwide consumed the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) recommendation of five F&V servings (400g) per day in 2003 [5].
On top of that, the WHO’s recommendation of five servings/day can be considered quite low.
The United States Department of Agriculture recommends about 9 servings/day, while Health Canada recommends 7-10 servings/day for adults; Less than one percent of the global population meets these recommendations [7].
In Canada, it is estimated that almost 70% of the population doesn’t eat enough F&Vs [10]. Adolescents are worse, with about 90% of Canadian adolescents (ages 11-17) not eating enough F&Vs [8]. And this is during stages of development of great need!
F&V access and budget
Without having F&Vs as freely available as we do in our supermarkets, developing countries struggle to meet guidelines most, but you may be surprised to learn the reason may not always be financial [5].
Individuals from underprivileged neighborhoods have reported poorer access to affordable healthy foods and said they would consume more F&Vs were they more easily attainable [6].
Whether living in a poorer neighborhood or not, staying away from Tim Hortons or the fancy tapas restaurant everyone is raving about will allow more room in your budget for healthier choices.
For instance, when adolescents in Texas were monitored for their food spending, those eating at restaurants or fast food joints had higher food costs than those who did not eat out, while high or low F&V consumption did not differ in cost [11].
Learn to cook, include your family, and don’t be afraid to experiment!
A focus group of low-income women in the Montreal area said they mainly cooked pasta and rice with prepackaged sauces for fear of experimenting with new recipes [3]. Some simply said they were bad at budgeting or weren’t in the habit of choosing ‘expensive’ foods.
Research has shown that the home environment and what one study dubbed the “dietary gatekeeper” (whoever does groceries and prepares meals) has a large influence on the whole family’s health [9]. Even more reason to learn how to cook!
In fact, parental monitoring and engagement have been shown to influence F&V intake [12]. Try taking a cooking workshop with your kids!
Striking a Balance
When nutrition knowledge and cooking confidence are at a low, the risk of ruining a meal to try new recipes that include more F&Vs may seem too high.
But the possible benefits are too great to pass up: antioxidants, fibers, vitamins and minerals, the list goes on along with various health benefits such as the possible prevention of non-communicable diseases including:
- Cardiovascular Disease (Coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension) [1, 2]
- Cancer [1]
- Obesity [2]
- Diabetes [2]
And maybe even prevention of:
- Dementia [2]
- Osteoporosis [2]
- Asthma [2]
- COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) [2]
- Rheumatoid Arthritis [2]
- Eye Diseases (cataracts, macular degeneration, etc.) [2]
Here are some neat resources if you want to read further:
- https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/vegetables-and-fruits/
- https://www.choosemyplate.gov/vegetables-nutrients-health
To Sum It Up
Try to eat at least five servings of F&V per day. As an easy reference measure, think of your fist as about one cup of F&V.
Limit restaurant meals and use the savings to experiment with new recipes and F&Vs at home.
Greater F&V consumption will help ward off non-communicable disease and foster a better food environment for adolescents to positively influence their F&V intake and health.
LUCAS ROLDOS
is currently completing his MSc in Human Nutrition at McGill University, where he received his BSc in Nutrition Science with a sports concentration and a minor in Neuroscience. His research examines motivation for healthy behavior.
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