A new way to measure fruit and vegetable serving
sizes has emerged, and it does not involve picturing
the produce in the shape of a fist or a tennis ball.
Instead, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and
the Department of Health and Human Services advises
Americans to simply fill half of their plate at
each meal with fruits and vegetables to get the recommended
daily value.
In the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans,
released on Jan. 31, the USDA and the HHS recommends
daily sodium consumption of no more than
2,300 mg, about one teaspoon of salt. Additionally,
they suggest Americans limit their daily cholesterol
intake to 300 mg per day.
Steve Nizielski, assistant professor of Biomedical
Science, said the new measuring method for fruits
and vegetables allows people to easily visualize and
remember the healthy daily amount.
“Serving sizes are confusing,” Nizielski said. “Telling
people to fill half their plate with fruits and vegetables
is a good way of saying, ‘Look. That should
dominate my plate.’”
But buying good produce, especially in the winter
when it is out of season, presents a challenge to college
students who have a limited food budget.
Because most of the fruits and vegetables on supermarket
shelves this time of year are transported
from warmer regions, their cost increases and their
nutritional value decreases, as some of the vitamins
gradually escape. Although frozen fruits and vegetables
might not have a fresh-picked taste, the nutrient
content between fresh and frozen is not too different
because of the short time interval between the field
and the freezer, he said.
Deb Lown, assistant professor in the Biomedical
Science Department and a mother of two, said a daily
snack of fruits and vegetables is a good start.
“I work 50 hours a week, and when I get home I
need to feed my two little sharks, so the first thing I do
is throw fruits and vegetables on the table,” she said.
Students short on time and cash can enjoy this panfried
chicken dish, which contains 78 mg of cholesterol
and 781 mg of sodium and costs around $10 to
prepare.
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