Getting Your 5-to-9 a Day

Now in its 15th year, the 5 a Day for Better Health Program encourages Americans to enjoy 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. The guidelines are tailored for people of all ages:

• 5 a day: children 2 to 6 years old
• 7 a day: older kids, teenage girls, and women
• 9 a day: teenage boys and men

By following this program, you can improve your health and reduce the risk of many cancers, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and other chronic diseases.

A handy guide to healthy servings

It's not hard to work 5-to-9 servings of fruits and vegetables into your daily meals. A serving size is about the equivalent of the palm of your hand. So, for example, a large salad may provide 2 or 3 servings.

Fresh or frozen foods usually have the best nutritional value. Simple preparation methods not only are easy, they're good for you! To optimize the healthy benefits of your 5-to-9 a day choices:

• Select different colors and varieties of fruits and vegetables.
• Use as much of the whole fruit or vegetable (including the skin or peel) as possible to get the maximum amount of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and health-protecting phytochemicals ("fight-o-chemicals").
• Avoid long periods of cooking, which can leach away nutrients.
• Savor the taste and texture of raw or minimally cooked recipe ingredients, rather than drowning them in heavy sauces.

Be sure to wash the fruits and vegetables thoroughly before serving.

Recipes

To encourage your 5-to-9 a day habit, these recipes include 5 different fruits or vegetables. However, you don't have to combine 5 into a single recipe to enjoy the healthy benefits.

Spiced Fruit Salad

1 cup yellow fruit (pineapple tidbits, banana chunks, sliced nectarines, star fruit, or peaches)
1 cup orange fruit (sliced mangoes, diced cantaloupe, apricot halves, diced papaya, or orange sections)
1 cup red fruit (strawberries, raspberries, cherries, red seedless grapes, or unpeeled, diced red apples)
1 cup green fruit (peeled, sliced kiwi, diced honeydew melon, or green grapes)
1 cup blue or purple fruit (blueberries, marionberries, purple seedless grapes, or halved plums)
1 cup (8 oz.) vanilla yogurt
1 Tbsp. maple syrup (real or imitation)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger

In a large bowl, mix together the fruit pieces. In a small bowl, mix together the yogurt, maple syrup, and spices. Gently stir the yogurt mixture into the fruit salad. Cover and chill thoroughly.

Colorful Veggies

1 medium zucchini, sliced (do not peel)
1 medium yellow squash, sliced
2 medium carrots, sliced
2 cups green beans cut into 2-inch pieces
1 cup brussels sprouts, halved
1 to 2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For variety, add 1 cup cauliflower flowerettes to the vegetables. Place the vegetables in a vegetable steamer, add water according to manufacturer's directions, and bring to a boil. Cook until fork-tender. Toss with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, drizzle with butter or margarine and serve immediately. To give a little zest to your vegetables, add either 1/4 cup chopped, fresh cilantro leaves or 1 tsp. lemon juice before serving.

Veggie Sandwich Filling

1 small or 1/2 medium cauliflower
1 small carrot, grated
2 radishes, grated
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro leaves
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. oregano
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 to 1/2 cup plain yogurt

Separate the cauliflower into bite-sized flowerettes. Remove and discard the core. Place cauliflower into a vegetable steamer basket, add water according to the manufacturer's directions, and steam until the cauliflower is fork-tender. Drain in a colander and allow to cool. In a small bowl, mix remaining ingredients together, and chill uncovered. For variety, add 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning or other mixed zesty seasonings in place of salt and pepper.

For additional flavor and nutrition when preparing sandwiches, use whole-grain bread, and top the sandwich filling with clover sprouts or lettuce leaves to get 5 vegetables in a single serving. Makes 4 thick sandwiches.