Fruits and vegetables are the backbone of a healthy diet. They are almost always low in fat and calories, and packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, and so much more. And oh, there’s no cholesterol.

But, according to the 2009 State Indicator Report on Fruits and Vegetables, only 14 percent of American adults are eating the recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables. The government study says that even less (10 percent) of high school students are getting enough fruits and vegetables.

The report is meant to shine a light on a campaign to get at least 75 percent of Americans to eat two or more daily servings of fruit, and for at least 50 percent to consume three or more daily servings of vegetables.

“A diet high in fruits and vegetables is important for optimal child growth, maintaining a healthy weight, and prevention of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and some cancers, all of which currently contribute to health care costs in the United States,” says Dr. William H. Dietz, director of the CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity.

No state in the Union even came close to the national objectives for adult consumption of fruits and vegetables. So, how can we start moving in the right direction?

According to the government report, they would like to see grocery stores stock more “high-quality fruits and vegetables.” This suggestion is a little puzzling, since every grocery store I’ve been to has plenty of fruits and vegetables to choose from.

The second suggestion is perfectly logical: increase the availability of healthy foods in school cafeterias and vending machines.

Lastly, the report suggests that states create “food policy councils” that evaluate the access to fresh produce on a community and state level.

(via: Health News)

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Americans Not Eating Enough Fruits and Veggies

A Mediterranean diet is rich in vegetables and whole grains. In a new Italian study the subjects ate the Mediterranean way, with 30 percent of their calories from fat (mostly olive oil). They were better able to manage their disease without diabetes medications than those people who ate a low-fat diet with no more than 30 percent of calories from fat (with less than 10 percent coming from saturated fat choices).

The study was thorough. After four years, researchers found that only 44 percent of people who were on the Mediterranean diet required diabetes medications to control their blood sugars, while 70 percent of those who followed the low-fat diet needed medications.

Katherine Esposito, MD, of the Second University of Naples, says the results “reinforce the message that benefits of lifestyle interventions should not be overlooked.” Which is a fancy way of saying your diet is a factor in managing your diabetes.

It’s not that the low-fat diet was unhealthy. In fact, it was based on the American Heart Association guidelines, which is rich in whole grains, limited sweets, with no more than 30 percent of calories from fat and 10 percent from saturated fats. The weight loss between the two groups was pretty much the same. But, the Mediterranean diet not only was more beneficial with diabetes issues, the people also experienced an improvement in additional heart disease risk factors.

(via: WebMD)

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Mediterranean Diet Helps Diabetics

There are lots of smoothie bars out there – places to buy a quick, delicious treat or even a meal replacement. Jamba Juice and Tropical Smoothie are quick and convenient, but can be loaded with extra sugar and fats. Making your own takes only minutes and allows you to control the ingredients, ensuring it’s good for you.

Here are a few healthy smoothie recipes to get you started:

Banana Split Smoothie

Blueberry Smoothie

Strawberry Smoothie

Lemonade Smoothie

Fruit Smoothie

Frosty Pumpkin Smoothie

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How to Make a Healthy Smoothie 101

Here’s the skinny on the changes:

• No more high fructose corn syrup – this was the #1 change customers requested on My Starbucks Idea
• No more artificial colors or flavors
• New menu item selections such as Vivanno smoothies, salads, and a gluten-free orange valencia cake
• Improvements to ingredients in some of their “favorites” like egg whites in their spinach feta wrap and reduced-fat turkey bacon egg sandwich (real eggs, peeps – no substitutes here! I know, it seems odd to tout real eggs in an egg wrap, but it’s true, lots of places use egg products.)
• All-natural turkey in their sandwiches

Starbucks let me sample some of their new baked goods. I was impressed with the flavors and product quality overall. The cranberry orange muffin and banana bread (with 30% fresh banana) were my faves. I don’t always go for the baked goods, but as a “sometimes” food these offerings pass the test. They have good nutrition for the calories. These are great for sharing, too.

According to the Starbucks website, their commitment to wellness has already resulted in the following changes:

• Saving customers 7 billion calories per year, equaling nearly 5 million pounds of fat by using 2% over whole milk as the standard in all beverages and setting nutrition “guardrails” for new products to be less than 500 calories
• Removing artificial trans fat in all food and beverages in North America
• Expanding the food and beverage portfolio to include a variety of options, including Fruit Cups, Yogurt Parfaits, Skinny Lattes, Vivanno™ Smoothies and Starbucks^® Perfect Oatmeal

What do you think of these changes?

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Starbucks Steps Up Nutrition Quality of Food and Beverages

With varieties like Cherry-Grape and Strawberry-Orange, different taste buds are pacified. I chose my standard, default flavor of Mango-Peach and saved it for the end of an especially strenuous Muay Thai class. Served well-chilled, it had a pleasant flavor and the bits of fruit that I’d been skeptical of were refreshing. (Although, oddly enough, the fruits in the Mango-Peach juice that I’d sampled were not those named, but instead pineapple and pear.)

No matter. After I’d had about one-third of the juice, I added in a scoop of protein powder and was delighted by the yumminess that ensued. It was every bit as good as a Tropical Smoothie, my treat of choice after class – and much cheaper and I think healthier. It was also a smaller portion and something I could keep in my boxing bag.

Each 6.75 ounce bottle has 120 calories, 0 grams fat, 2 grams fiber, 40% RDA of Vitamin A and 60% RDA of Vitamin C. All-natural, low in calories and with two servings of fruit, this is a beverage that I’ll cheerfully buy again.

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We Love Fruit 2 Day

We’ve extended the giveaway! See below for details!

I love fruit. Love everything about fruit – the taste, the sweetness, the nutrition. The only thing I don’t love about fruit is the mess. Sometimes, I pack a fruit choice and by lunch time, it’s smooshed into an unrecognizable blob. I was delighted to receive four fruit choices from the new line of Today’s Farm dried fruit. I was sent pineapple, strawberry, apple cinnamon and peach. I can honestly say I’m now an addict. Two empty bags in one sitting is my proof. With the tag line, “Freeze dried crunchy fruit – Nothing like it,” this snack certainly made an impression on me.

Continue reading Carmen’s review and get the details on a Today’s Fruit giveaway and discount!

Often, I find myself craving a crunch. (Most often, it comes in the form of a tortilla chip craving, but let’s not go there, shall we?) These fruit crisps fill the void beautifully. Dried fruits can often have added sugars and oils, and can be as bad for you as candy. Not these choices. Flash-freeze dried to remove the water, the fruit is kept free of bacteria and contaminants without the addition of any preservatives. Today’s Farm fruit crisps are sold in individual bags about the size of a potato chip bag, perfect for tossing in a lunch box or hiding in the bottom of a gym bag for an after workout treat. One bag is equal to between one and three servings of fresh fruit, depending upon the fruit you choose. They are free of fat, sodium, cholesterol and chock full of fiber.

Nutritional content will vary by flavor, but here are a few key numbers that we’re pretty impressed with.

• Peach = 90 calories, 0g fat
• Strawberry = 45 calories, 0g fat
• Apple Cinnamon = 85 calories, 0g fat
• Pineapple = 80 calories, .5g fat

Delicious on their own and beyond amazing mixed in with vanilla yogurt or oatmeal, these are a super tasty, nutritious and healthful snack that I’ll be buying again and again. Sold exclusively online for now at Today’s Farms, you’ll receive an exclusive 10% discount on your next Internet order (use coupon code DIR, expires 9/30/09).

We’re also giving away 10 Today’s Farms Bag O Gold (value $10), a bag stuffed with each of their four delightful flavors. Just leave a comment below, by 7/24/09, telling us what your favorite fruit is.

Yummy, nutritious and easy to eat on the go – can’t get any better than that!

While Today’s Farms generously provided Carmen with samples, this review is of her own opinion and in no way influenced by the manufacturer.

Giveaway Details: Ten winners will be chosen at random 7/15/09 and notified via the email address provided in the comment form below. Names and addresses of the winners will be provided to Today’s Farms for fulfillment of one (1) Bag O Gold each.

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We Love Today’s Farm Dried Fruit Snacks

Kendra is a guest blogger for the DietsInReview.com special series on Healthy Summer Kids. Kendra is Headless Mom and writes about her life with her husband and three kids at The Adventures of The Headless Family. She is glad her head is attached because otherwise she might lose it!

We’ve all read the statistics on childhood obesity- according to the CDC over 16% of children age 6-19 years old are overweight, that number having tripled since 1980. Summer is the perfect time to change our children’s eating and exercise habits for the better. We have 3 months to do it.

Moving

Summer is the perfect time to get moving. Kids should get at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day. Swimming is a great way to beat the heat. Running and walking on the beach and through the surf burns more calories than just walking down your block. Most cities have great bicycle trails and you’d be surprised at how far your kids can go on a bike. I also like to try new things in the summer when there is no pressure of school or other sports. Look into your local recreation center for classes on rock climbing, dance; the sky is the limit! Many private studios for martial arts or gymnastics will let your kids attend a free class to see if they are interested. Take advantage of the extra free hours this summer and get out there!

Eating

Summer just asks for healthy food, doesn’t it? Summer fruits are a Headless household favorite- melons, berries, and fleshy fruits rule. Keep a cut fruit salad in the fridge for all day snacking and the kids will come back often. Get your kids to rely on these healthy snacks and then when school resumes in the fall they will ask for them again and again. Salads are great for getting more veggies into their diet and there are a thousand different varieties out there for every set of taste buds. Try Mexican, Thai, anything that your child already likes can work. In the heat of the summer lighter meals are all you need to feel full after after a full day.

Other Safety Tips

Don’t forget the sunscreen, wear protective equipment when required, drink plenty of water, and have the greatest, healthiest summer ever!

Guest Blog Series: Look for the following badge on your favorite health sites to see if they have been a featured guest blogger on DietsInReview.com. See other posts in the Guest Blog series.

If you would like to apply to be featured as a guest blogger, please contact us.

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Getting and Keeping Kids Healthy in the Summer

Photo via Just Tomatoes, Inc.

But freeze-dried fruit has all of the sweetness  and nutrients of fresh and dried fruit at just a fraction of the calories. Trader Joe’s has a pretty plentiful supply of freeze-dried goodies like bananas, strawberries, and pineapple, and the company Just Tomatoes is wildly popular, too.

The texture might be something to get used to (think airy), but when you start chomping, we think this will be your next fave healthy snack. Eat it straight out of the bag, top on a yogurt, jazz-up your morning cereal with it — the possibilities are endless.

Happy Snacking!

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We Love Freeze Dried Fruit

The green fruit with a fuzzy exterior packs a powerful nutritional punch. In fact, Rutgers University conducted a study of the 27 most popular fruits (can you name 27?), and they named kiwi the “most nutritionally dense” among them.

Here are some of the many benefits of kiwi:

• It gives you a full day’s worth of vitamin C
• Contains potassium, which is good for protecting against high blood-pressure, among many other things
• Contains the antioxidant-rich vitamin E, and lutein, which helps promote good vision
• Like most fruits and vegetables, kiwi is a low-calorie treat, with a meager count of 50 calories each
• Has more fiber than apples and twice the amount of vitamin C as an orange
• A study found that kiwi can boost the natural defenses of your body, improve muscle performance and digestive health, and reduce cell damage and inflammation
• Kiwi also helps reduce damage from free radicals, which can lead to long term diseases like cancer
• It’s great for protecting the body from winter colds

There are plenty of ways you can eat kiwi: in fruit salad, as a yogurt topping, in chutney, and on its own like any other fruit.

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Kiwi: A Hidden Nutritional Gem of a Fruit

1. Remember your fruits and veggies! It’s recommended to consume 5-9 servings of fruits and veggies a day. So take advantage of your lunch to really rack in some servings.

- A salad is an easy way to score big on veggies, with fresh greens, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, radishes, or any vegetable you want. You can also add some dried or fresh fruit and you will be feeling good. You’ll be scoring big for your health without having consumed a lot of calories (remember veggies and fruit are very nutrient dense, meaning you get a lot of nutrients and small amount of calories and fat). However, keep in mind to pick an oil-based salad dressing and to remember to lightly pour it on… you don’t want to drown your salad in dressing.

- A veggie sandwich (on whole-grain bread, tortilla, or pita of course!)

- A pasta salad (with whole-wheat/grain pasta) with veggies can go great here, too.

- Pack some fruit. Grapes, an apple, banana, strawberries or whatever you desire. Pre-wash or pre-cut your fruit at home to make it more convenient to eat as a snack or at your lunch break. The more convenient it is the more likely you’ll be to eat it.

2. Remember to include lean sources of protein.

- If you’re staying with the salad or sandwich theme, add some sliced turkey or chicken to it. Remember portion size is important. For you vegetarians, try adding beans (chickpeas/garbanzo beans, kidney beans, etc.) to your salad or wrap/sandwich.

- Don’t forget the nuts! It’s recommended to eat a handful of nuts a day, so why not add them to this nutrient dense salad or sandwich to make it a powerhouse, nutrient dense lunch? Or, simply pack them in a separate bag and enjoy them when you want.

3. Remember your carbs! Don’t shy away from carbs because you need them. Do keep in mind quantity and quality. For quality, you need to choose whole-wheat, whole-grain options (more frequently or most of the time) versus plain white bread or pasta.
4. Drink water! Remember to drink, not only with your meals, but all day long. Water is the best drink for you and it’s guilt-free (zero calories).

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4 Things to Remember When Packing a Lunch