More Fruits & Veggies

How to Use Fruits and Vegetables to Help Manage Your Weight
Fruits and vegetables are part of a healthy eating plan. There are many different ways to lose or maintain a healthy weight. Using more fruits and vegetables along with whole grains and lean meats, nuts, and beans is a safe and healthy one. In addition, diets rich in fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of cancer and other chronic diseases. Fruits and vegetables also provide essential vitamins and minerals, fiber, and other substances that are important for good health.

To lose weight eat fewer calories than your body uses.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to eat less food. You can create lower-calorie versions of some of your favorite dishes by substituting low calorie fruits and vegetables in place of higher-calorie ingredients. The water and fiber in fruits and vegetables will add volume to your dishes, so you can eat the same amount of food with fewer calories.

Smart Snacks
Most healthy eating plans allow for one or two small snacks a day. Choosing most fruits and vegetables will allow you to eat a health snack with only 100 calories. One snack-sized bag of corn chips (1 ounce) has the same number of calories as a small apple, 1 cup of strawberries, AND 1 cup of carrots with 1/4 cup of low-cal dip.

Remember: Substitution is the key.
It’s true that fruits and vegetables are lower in calories than many other foods, but they do contain some calories. If you start eating fruits and vegetables in addition to what you usually eat, you are adding calories and may gain weight. The key is substitution. Eat fruits and vegetables instead of some other higher-calorie food.

Storage 101

Great tasting fruits and vegetables begin with proper storage at home. Use the FIFO rule: First In, First Out. Use whatever is oldest first and continually rotate your stock to ensure freshness and reduce waste. The FIFO rule applies to all types of foods — fresh, frozen, canned and dried.

Fresh
Fresh foods are best used the day of purchase, or within several days. Some, like potatoes and carrots, can be kept longer if stored properly. Some fresh items, such as peaches, plums and nectarines, can be left at room temperature until ripe, then refrigerated until ready to use. Some fresh items, like tomatoes, should never be refrigerated, because cold damages texture and taste.

Frozen
All frozen foods should be stored at 0 degrees Fahrenheit or less. The maximum length of storage for frozen items varies, but for most fruits and vegetables a good rule is six months.

Canned
Most canned foods have a shelf life of about two years if they are stored at a constant temperature of about 75 degrees Fahrenheit, and as long as the can is not leaking or bulging.

Dried
Dried foods should be stored in cool, dry, dark areas. Storing in airtight containers in the refrigerator is a great option. Recommended storage times for dried foods range from 4 months to 1 year.

Source: www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov

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