Use "MyPlate" to Make Healthier Food Choices

September is Fruits and Veggies: More Matters Month

NASHVILLE – We all know fruits and vegetables help make a healthy diet, but how much should we eat? There’s a new guide that takes the guesswork out of putting together a healthy meal. Just follow the example of “MyPlate” to make healthier food choices, including filling half of your plate with fruits and vegetables. The Department of Health is spreading the word about this new tool during Fruits and Veggies: More Matters Month this September.

“MyPlate helps show in a simple way what amounts of each food group we should include in our meals,” said Health Commissioner Susan R. Cooper, MSN, RN. “We challenge Tennesseans to strive to fill half their plates with produce during Fruits and Veggies: More Matters Month, and create a lasting habit for healthful eating.”

MyPlate is the new icon developed by the United State Department of Agriculture to show what amount of each food group one should have at each meal. Find the new guide at www.choosemyplate.org. MyPlate replaces the food pyramid, and is designed to help improve Americans’ understanding of the portions of each food group that create a healthy diet.

The MyPlate guide encourages a more plant-based eating plan, and the key concept of the new plate image is to fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables. All types of fruits and vegetables count toward the goal: fresh, frozen, canned, dried and 100 percent juice. MyPlate follows revisions to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans released earlier this year.

Including a colorful variety of fruits and vegetables in meals and snacks helps maintain a healthy weight and may reduce the risk of many diseases, including heart disease. Fruits and vegetables are a valuable source of the following nutrients important for overall health:

• Calcium – Essential for healthy bones and teeth; needed for normal muscle, nerve and gland functions
• Fiber – Diets rich in fiber have been shown to decrease risk of heart disease
• Folate – May reduce a woman’s risk of having a child with brain or spinal defects
• Iron – Needed for healthy blood and normal cell functions
• Magnesium – Required for healthy bones; low levels may cause muscle cramps and high blood pressure
• Potassium – Helps maintain healthy blood pressure
• Vitamin A – Keeps eyes and skin healthy and protects against infections
• Vitamin C – Helps heal cuts and wounds and keeps teeth and gums healthy

It’s easy to increase your intake of fruits and vegetables. Here are some simple ways to get more healthful produce into your daily meals:

• Add fruit to hot or cold cereal, or try a fruit smoothie for breakfast.
• Sweeten tea with 100 percent fruit juice instead of sugar.
• Add vegetables to a sandwich or wrap. Consider lettuce, tomato, cucumber and peppers.
• Choose fruit instead of candy for a sweet snack. Craving crunch? Try raw veggies like carrots, celery and radishes.
• Pack a 100 percent juice box in your child’s lunch instead of soda or a sports drink, and choose juice instead of soda for your own lunch.
• Try a baked potato instead of fries or chips.
• Add dried fruits or chopped vegetables to grain side dishes, such as rice and couscous.

Tennesseans have the added benefit of living in a state with a rich agricultural tradition and numerous sources of fresh, locally grown produce. To find a farmers’ market in your area, visit www.picktnproducts.org. Many of these markets are open throughout the year.

Fruits and Veggies – More Matters Month is a national public health initiative sponsored by the Produce for a Better Health Foundation. For more information, including recipes and tips for getting children to eat more fruits and vegetables, visit www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org.