According to the National Cancer Institute, eating lots of fruits and vegetables as part of a low-fat, high-fiber diet may help reduce the risk of some types of cancer.
Many health professionals encourage Americans to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. A serving can be:
- 1 medium-sized whole fruit, such as a banana, peach or plum
- 3/4 cup (6 ounces) of 100% fruit or vegetable juice, such as orange or tomato juice
- 1/2 cup fresh, frozen or canned fruit, such as grapes, melon, blueberries or fruit cocktail, or vegetables, such as green beans, carrots or tomatoes
- 1 cup raw leafy greens, such as romaine lettuce, spinach or collard greens
- 1/2 cup cooked peas or beans, such as black-eye peas or navy, black or pinto beans
- 1/4 cup dried fruit, such as apricots or raisins
As we revealed yesterday, smoothies are a great way to meet your daily requirements. Yesterday’s recipe for Three-Melon Smoothies had four servings of fruits and vegetables in one 10-ounce glass.
Here are some tips for perfecting your organic smoothie:
- Freeze fruit ahead of time for a frostier drink.
- Try to use the freshest fruit in season.
- Too thick? Add more juice.
- Too thin? Add more fruit.
- Too tart? Add a sweetener like molasses or maple syrup.
- Too sweet? Add citrus juice.
Photo courtesy of Minute Maid Premium Orange Juice