Summertime: Fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, and a healthy life

Abstract

I hope you're having a great summer. At ADA, we are getting ready for one of the high points of the Association's year, the 2004 Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo. Make your plans now to join thousands of your fellow members and me in Anaheim, CA, in 2 months.FIGURESpeaking of summer and California, did you know that California produces half of our country's fruits and vegetables? As an avid gardener, one of the highlights of summer for me is the abundance of fresh produce. From farmer's markets to backyard gardens to the local grocery store, fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables are available everywhere you turn.Dietetics professionals work throughout the year communicating the message to our clients and the public that enjoying fruits and vegetables is important—and easy. We emphasize the value of well-known vitamins and minerals found in fresh fruits and vegetables. It's also our job to stay current on developments concerning lesser-known phytochemicals that are found in summer's bounty, the effects and value of which we are constantly researching and increasingly understanding.Why do people eat what they eat? Because they like the taste! When food tastes wonderful, good nutrition becomes an “easy sell” to all consumers. If you're like me, you believe that nothing tastes better than fresh fruits and vegetables. But why do we find that so many Americans consume a diet that does not contain the minimum daily-recommended servings of these important foods?Time crunchOur world places increasing demands on people's time. Longer commutes, long days at work, and making that crucial time for your spouse and children are all priorities that often leave little time for shopping and food preparation. But even though we are all pressed for time, most people want to eat well.Where there is demand, supply follows. We're seeing new food options that let consumers take advantage of the nutritional benefits of fresh fruits and vegetables in their daily diets. The food manufacturing industry is responding to demand for nutrition and convenience, and the result is increased sales of precut fruits and vegetables that are ready to be cooked or served.Restaurant and retail food purchasesMore and more food dollars are being spent on prepared food, both in restaurants and at take-out establishments. The single most rapidly growing segment of the food industry is take-out meals. According to a recent national consumer survey conducted for our Home Food Safety … It's in Your Hands program, nearly 20% of Americans purchase more take-out food today than they did a year ago. About half of them eat restaurant take-out at least once a week, and one in four purchases supermarket take-out one or two times per week. Since take-out meals can be high in calories, fat, and carbohydrates, retail food providers are responding to consumer demand for more healthful options with take-out menu items that emphasize fruits and vegetables.Carb countingConsumers who are on low-carb diets often eliminate fruits and vegetables in an effort to cut carbohydrates. We dietetics professionals know that carbohydrates are both a “simple” and a “complex” issue. Our job is to continue educating consumers about recognizing the importance of keeping a variety of complex carbs—the types they'll find in fruits and vegetables—in their eating plans, and benefiting from the nutrients they contribute.Availability and affordabilityUnfortunately, for many consumers the ability to buy fresh fruits and vegetables is limited, particularly in inner cities. We need to redouble our efforts to bring programs like farmer's markets to underserved populations and to encourage stores to sell a variety of seasonal produce at affordable prices. Year-round availability of fruits and vegetables continues to be key in promoting health and weight management for all economic groups.Summertime messageAs you can see, much of what we can do to help consumers eat well and enjoy life revolves around consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. I encourage all of us to be strong advocates for fresh produce and promote its advantages as part of a healthful eating plan.That's my summertime message to my fellow dietetics professionals. If you're looking for me, I'll be in the garden! I hope you're having a great summer. At ADA, we are getting ready for one of the high points of the Association's year, the 2004 Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo. Make your plans now to join thousands of your fellow members and me in Anaheim, CA, in 2 months.FIGURE Speaking of summer and California, did you know that California produces half of our country's fruits and vegetables? As an avid gardener, one of the highlights of summer for me is the abundance of fresh produce. From farmer's markets to backyard gardens to the local grocery store, fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables are available everywhere you turn. Dietetics professionals work throughout the year communicating the message to our clients and the public that enjoying fruits and vegetables is important—and easy. We emphasize the value of well-known vitamins and minerals found in fresh fruits and vegetables. It's also our job to stay current on developments concerning lesser-known phytochemicals that are found in summer's bounty, the effects and value of which we are constantly researching and increasingly understanding. Why do people eat what they eat? Because they like the taste! When food tastes wonderful, good nutrition becomes an “easy sell” to all consumers. If you're like me, you believe that nothing tastes better than fresh fruits and vegetables. But why do we find that so many Americans consume a diet that does not contain the minimum daily-recommended servings of these important foods? Time crunchOur world places increasing demands on people's time. Longer commutes, long days at work, and making that crucial time for your spouse and children are all priorities that often leave little time for shopping and food preparation. But even though we are all pressed for time, most people want to eat well.Where there is demand, supply follows. We're seeing new food options that let consumers take advantage of the nutritional benefits of fresh fruits and vegetables in their daily diets. The food manufacturing industry is responding to demand for nutrition and convenience, and the result is increased sales of precut fruits and vegetables that are ready to be cooked or served. Our world places increasing demands on people's time. Longer commutes, long days at work, and making that crucial time for your spouse and children are all priorities that often leave little time for shopping and food preparation. But even though we are all pressed for time, most people want to eat well. Where there is demand, supply follows. We're seeing new food options that let consumers take advantage of the nutritional benefits of fresh fruits and vegetables in their daily diets. The food manufacturing industry is responding to demand for nutrition and convenience, and the result is increased sales of precut fruits and vegetables that are ready to be cooked or served. Restaurant and retail food purchasesMore and more food dollars are being spent on prepared food, both in restaurants and at take-out establishments. The single most rapidly growing segment of the food industry is take-out meals. According to a recent national consumer survey conducted for our Home Food Safety … It's in Your Hands program, nearly 20% of Americans purchase more take-out food today than they did a year ago. About half of them eat restaurant take-out at least once a week, and one in four purchases supermarket take-out one or two times per week. Since take-out meals can be high in calories, fat, and carbohydrates, retail food providers are responding to consumer demand for more healthful options with take-out menu items that emphasize fruits and vegetables. More and more food dollars are being spent on prepared food, both in restaurants and at take-out establishments. The single most rapidly growing segment of the food industry is take-out meals. According to a recent national consumer survey conducted for our Home Food Safety … It's in Your Hands program, nearly 20% of Americans purchase more take-out food today than they did a year ago. About half of them eat restaurant take-out at least once a week, and one in four purchases supermarket take-out one or two times per week. Since take-out meals can be high in calories, fat, and carbohydrates, retail food providers are responding to consumer demand for more healthful options with take-out menu items that emphasize fruits and vegetables. Carb countingConsumers who are on low-carb diets often eliminate fruits and vegetables in an effort to cut carbohydrates. We dietetics professionals know that carbohydrates are both a “simple” and a “complex” issue. Our job is to continue educating consumers about recognizing the importance of keeping a variety of complex carbs—the types they'll find in fruits and vegetables—in their eating plans, and benefiting from the nutrients they contribute. Consumers who are on low-carb diets often eliminate fruits and vegetables in an effort to cut carbohydrates. We dietetics professionals know that carbohydrates are both a “simple” and a “complex” issue. Our job is to continue educating consumers about recognizing the importance of keeping a variety of complex carbs—the types they'll find in fruits and vegetables—in their eating plans, and benefiting from the nutrients they contribute. Availability and affordabilityUnfortunately, for many consumers the ability to buy fresh fruits and vegetables is limited, particularly in inner cities. We need to redouble our efforts to bring programs like farmer's markets to underserved populations and to encourage stores to sell a variety of seasonal produce at affordable prices. Year-round availability of fruits and vegetables continues to be key in promoting health and weight management for all economic groups. Unfortunately, for many consumers the ability to buy fresh fruits and vegetables is limited, particularly in inner cities. We need to redouble our efforts to bring programs like farmer's markets to underserved populations and to encourage stores to sell a variety of seasonal produce at affordable prices. Year-round availability of fruits and vegetables continues to be key in promoting health and weight management for all economic groups. Summertime messageAs you can see, much of what we can do to help consumers eat well and enjoy life revolves around consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. I encourage all of us to be strong advocates for fresh produce and promote its advantages as part of a healthful eating plan.That's my summertime message to my fellow dietetics professionals. If you're looking for me, I'll be in the garden! As you can see, much of what we can do to help consumers eat well and enjoy life revolves around consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. I encourage all of us to be strong advocates for fresh produce and promote its advantages as part of a healthful eating plan. That's my summertime message to my fellow dietetics professionals. If you're looking for me, I'll be in the garden!