Eat Healthy — Live Healthy
Choose a Healthy Diet
A healthy diet filled with lots of fruits and vegetables is essential for health.
Here are the facts:
- Obesity is a risk factor for cancer, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
- Most fruits and vegetables are naturally low in fat and calories and are filling.
- Fruits and vegetables provide essential vitamins
and minerals, fiber, antioxidants, and other
nutrients that are important for good health. - The latest US guidelines recommend that we eat 5 to 13 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. One serving is typically one cup.
Eat more fruits and vegetables at every meal.
Make sure that you select from a variety of colors for
the most nutritional benefit.
Facts
Eat Fresh and Colorful
- Serve a selection of colorful vegetables that include the colors orange, red, yellow, and dark green at meals.
- Eat green vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprout, cabbage, swiss chard and kale as well as onions and garlic to protect against some types of cancers.
- Try one new fruit or vegetable each week.
- Eat fruit on cereal (not just bananas but apples, berries, grapes, oranges, and peaches).
- Have fruit for dessert (layer a fruit parfait with yogurt, nuts, and oatmeal).
- Snack on raw vegetables instead of cookies, candies or chips. Try celery sticks with natural peanut butter.
- Add vegetables to favorite entrees (tacos, spaghetti, lasagna, pizza, soups).
- Add vegetables like bell peppers, broccoli, spinach, mushrooms or tomatoes to your egg or egg white omelet.
- Substitute vegetables like lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, or onions for two ounces of the cheese and two ounces of the meat in your sandwich, wrap, or burrito.
Remember:
Raw fruits and vegetables are most nutritious.
Always wash your fruits and vegetables.
Buy local and certified organic whenever possible.
Get More Information:
Contact the Center for Environmental Oncology at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute for updated information and evidence-based resources.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/
http://www.environmentaloncology.org