Fruits and Vegetables: Do You Get Enough?

The American Cancer Society recommends eating 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day to help prevent cancer. These foods contain important vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and antioxidants and are usually low in calories. In general, those with the most color -- green, red, yellow, and orange -- have the most nutrients.

Trying to visualize the serving sizes? This may help:

1 medium apple or orange: the size of a tennis ball
1 cup vegetables or fruit: the size of a baseball
1 medium potato: the size of a computer mouse
1 cup of lettuce: 4 leaves

Snack Your Way To 5 A Day

Try the snack suggestions below to help reach your daily fruit and vegetable goal.

Keep dried fruits and vegetable juice boxes in your desk drawer and glove compartment.
Keep a bowl full of fresh veggies and fruits on your kitchen counter.
Short on time? Look for prewashed, precut vegetables such as baby carrots and broccoli florets at the grocery store. Dip them in nonfat ranch dressing for extra zip.
Limit French fries, snack chips, and other fried vegetable products as nibbles, as well as at meals.
Drink no more than 1 drink per day for women or 2 per day for men.

More healthful eating tips, recipes, and easy ways to squeeze in physical activity are found in Living Smart: The American Cancer Society's Guide to Eating Healthy and Being Active. Call 1-800-ACS-2345 to request the booklet from the ACS office nearest you.