Vegetables: Tasty & Beneficial

According to the CDC, almost everyone could eat more veggies. They not only provide vital nutrients and minerals, a vegetable rich diet can reduce your risk of chronic diseases and cardiovascular disease.

You may be wondering how much you should be eating on a daily average. It varies depending on age and amount of physical activity of each person. The link below provides a quick way to find out how much you should be consuming each day.

Eating a balanced diet will help you live a healthier life by reducing your risk of chronic diseases and cardiovascular disease. The above graph shows that whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and healthy protein are a major part of our diet. Changing your shopping habits is a way to begin a more healthy diet. By avoiding processed foods and opting for whole foods, you reduce your saturated fat and caloric intake. Instead of buying chips, grab a bag a fresh snap peas or apple slices.

When eating a wider variety of foods such as these, your body will most likely shed some unnecessary weight. 66% of Americans are overweight while about 2% is underweight. Before changing your diet, always consult your physician.

Go to MyPyramid.gov to take advantage of some diet assessment tools to see if you’re consuming adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables.