We’ve all seen ads for the “5 a day" campaign that encourages us to eat five servings of fruits and vegetables each day, bet do we understand why it is so important to follow? Did you know that the American Heart Association even recommends eating nine servings each day? This seems a daunting task, but may be moved higher on your priority list if you understand why this is so important.

First, let’s talk about serving sizes. One serving size of fruit could be 1/2 cup cut up fruit, a medium apple or orange, 6 ounces of 100% fruit juice, or 1/4 cup of dried fruit. So if you eat a large apple on your break at work, you’ve already got 2 servings for the day. A serving size for vegetables is similar to that of fruit. One serving would be 1/2 cup of cooked or raw vegetables, 1 cup of leafy vegetables, one medium potato, or 6 ounces of 100% juice. When you realize that the serving sizes are smaller than you may have guessed, you may discover that you’re already eating more servings than you may have guessed.

Now that you have a better perspective of how to count fruits and vegetables, why is it so important to eat them, and why do so many health organizations encourage fruit and vegetable consumption? Fruits and vegetables are chocked full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. Increased consumption of these miracle foods have been shown to decrease heart attacks and coronary artery disease. They may help to decrease the risk of a variety of cancers, including breast, esophageal, and colon cancers. Eating fruits and vegetables may also help decrease diverticulosis and cataracts. Consider eating fruits and vegetables as economical preventative medicine.

So how can you increase the servings of fruits and vegetables that you eat each day? I recommend setting a goal to try to eat a fruit or vegetable every time you eat. At breakfast, you can add fresh or dried fruit to your cereal, add a glass of 100% juice, or top a yogurt with fresh berries. At lunch, add sliced cucumbers, carrots, or bell pepper strips to your lunch; experiment with a peanut butter and banana sandwich; take a side salad instead of a side of chips. At dinner, add extra chopped vegetables to casseroles or lasagnas, experiment with having a vegetarian entree once a week, or use a fruit puree or salsa over cooked meat. Snacks are another great opportunity to add in a fruit or vegetable serving or two. For convenient snacks, keep pre-cut veggies in water in your fridge, or grab an apple on your way out the door in case you get hungry. Finally, I challenge you to try buying a new fruit or vegetable every shopping trip. Your body and taste buds will thank you for it!