by Elizabeth Pivonka, Ph.D., President, Produce for Better Health Foundation (NAPSA)—With obesity becoming epidemic in both children and adults, eating more for better health may seem like the latest fad diet. It’s definitely not. We are talking about fruits and vegetables, and there is overwhelming evidence that eating at least 5 and as many @ as 10 servings each day can help protect Elizabeth Pivonka against major dis- eases like cancer, high blood pressure, stroke and heart disease. The real kicker is that more is better when it comes to eating a variety of colorful produce. There are a few ground rules. Variety is a must. Make each choice a different color to take advantage of Mother Nature’s system for distributing nutrients. When it comes to high-fat additions like butter, sour cream and oils, less is definitely more. Actually, most vegetables and fruit don’t need the traditional, highcalorie additions to taste great. With little or no preparation, they can be the ultimate fast food. Five A Day—Fast And Easy 1. Blend It * Use any combination of fresh, frozen or canned fruit to make a smoothie. * Peaches and Cream: one fresh, frozen or canned peach and a small carton of low-fat vanilla yogurt. * Banana Split: one banana, splash of OJ and a scoop of low-fat strawberry ice cream. * Very Berry: one cup of fresh or frozen berries, splash of cranberry juice and a scoop of orange sherbet. 2. Eat Out, Eat Smart * Choose baked or roasted white or sweet potatoes insteadoffries. * Make it “pizza with the works”—extra peppers, onions and mushrooms. * Baked apples, poached pears or fresh berries are delicious desserts. * Add a salad to a meal and order extra vegetables on theside. 3. Count on Convenience * Stock up on frozen vegetables—they are easy to do in the microwave, and great additions to canned soups or casseroles. * Take advantageof the peeled and chopped bagged salads, vegetables and fruit. * Keep canned fruit in the fridge ready to add to cereal or as the start of a fruit salad. * Individual packs of 100 percent fruit and vegetable juices are great for snacks. 4. Bea Trend Setter * Pick up a variety of fresh fruit instead of donuts when it’s your turn to bring the coffee break treats. * Send a fruit basket for a present. * Mix raisins and other dried fruits with nuts for a quick snack. 5. Roast It * Roasting is a quick, easy way to bring out the best flavors of many vegetables such as carrots, eggplant, red peppers, squash, onions, sweet potatoes, beets, asparagus and mushrooms. * Just brush serving-sized pieces with a little olive oil, sprinkle with garlic powder, rosemary ora little salt and pepper and roast at 400 until they are soft. For recipes and information on fruits and vegetables, go to www.daday.com, www.5aday.gov and www.aboutproduce.com. Geren nnene Note to Editors: Thirty-fourth in a series of monthly 5-A-Day columns.
