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SALT LAKE CITY — March is national nutrition month and a chance to remember that the campaign against obesity is winnable, through diet.
But for many, questions immediately sprout. "What varieties are best?" "How much to eat?" And, "what about my kids?"
"It's baby steps. One thing at a time," said dietician Kristen Strong.
Those step include understanding serving size and how often to eat them.
"The general recommendation is five a day, for kids we would recommend they shoot for three or more servings of vegetables, two or more servings of fruit," Strong said.
Dietician Joy Musselman offers families a simple strategy: "Eat a fruit or vegetable at every meal and snack. Because if they're eating just one serving at each of those, that still adds up to five or six servings throughout the day."
The general recommendation is five a day, for kids we would recommend they shoot for three or more servings of vegetables, two or more servings of fruit.
–Kristen Strong, Dietician
But how much produce equals a proper serving? That often depends. So for simplicity, diet experts say, "just think half." Fill your plate half with fruits and vegetables — high fiber foods that keep you full.
So is frozen OK? Or is fresh always best?
"Frozen vegetables are actually really healthy for you," Mussleman said. "They're processed and frozen at the peak of ripeness so they have a lot of nutrients in them, and you can control how much you prepare which is great."
Canned veggies, especially low sodium varieties, are healthy too. But canned fruit?
"You want to avoid canned fruits that have a lot of sugar added. But juice packed fruits are perfectly acceptable," Musselman said.
And drink up: one cup of 100 percent juice equals one convenient serving. But whether you sip it, slice it or zap it, Strong has a colorful perspective.
"The color indicates the nutrient composition of the fruit or vegetables," she said.
Orange for instance indicates Beta Caroten, which is good for your eyes. Green leafy veggies mean foliates: vital nutrients for women who may become pregnant.
Speaking of kids, what about that moment that every parent faces?
"Should I make my child sit at the table until they've eaten the full serving? When you're talking about everything you're trying to do with feeding a family and everything that you have going on, it's just not the battle that I would choose," Musselman said. "I would rather provide a healthy variety of foods. And you can kind of sit back and just relax and enjoy your dinner together."
Remember too that unlike most purchases you almost always get the best for the least amount of money when buying fresh produce. Buy in-season for good quality, an abundant supply and therefore, lower prices. It's a great way to save money and eat great.
Contributing: Lori Pritchard
