Eating Smart With Fruits and Vegetables

Change Community Habits by Adding More Fruits and Vegetables to Your Diet

In many urban and rural communities, the only places to buy food are corner stores, convenience stores, bodegas and gas stations. These stores may have limited options and/or sell produce that’s very expensive. Neighborhood access to healthy food is a growing concern. Lack of access has a profound effect on diet quality.

Eating 2 to 2.5 cups (four to five servings) each of fruits and vegetables daily as part of an overall healthy diet may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke. Even adding small amounts is a powerful first step toward a healthier, longer life.

This lesson gives guidance on how to:

  • Add more color, crunch and flavor with produce.
  • Embrace ways to include a variety of fruits and vegetables in your daily meals.
  • Take action to help improve access to fruits and vegetables for everyone.

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EmPOWERED to Serve™ Health Lesson: Eating Smart With Fruits and Vegetables | Eating fruit and vegetables is a key to good health. But most of us don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables to meet our body’s needs. About 75% of the U.S. population has an eating pattern that is low in fruits and vegetables.
 

Eating Smart With Fruits and Vegetables

Adding more fruits and vegetables to a healthy diet is a powerful step toward a healthier, longer life.
Learn how to ditch the junk, give your body the nutrient-dense fuel it needs, and love every minute of it!
Written by American Heart Association editorial staff and reviewed by science and medicine advisors.

See our editorial policies and staff.

Last Reviewed: Feb 7, 2023

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Amgen proudly supports the American Heart Association’s Empowered to Serve Initiative.