Getting More Vegetables

that I should increase the amount of vegetables and fruits in my diet to at least five servings a day. Why? most Americans do NOT eat enough vegetables and fruits. Because of this fact, most Americans do not get enough dietary fiber in their diet. Dietary fiber is the part of plants we can’t digest and absorb. Most American consume about 12 to 17 grams of fiber a day and we should be getting almost twice that amount, or 20 to 30 grams each day. You should increase your intake of vegetables and fruits because plants are the only foods that have dietary fiber. Vegetables and fruits are also good sources of vitamin A, vitamin C, and carotenoids. Eating more vegetables and fruits can: • Protect a person from becoming constipated, • Help to lower blood cholesterol, • Help in the manage-ment of diabetes mellitus, and • Help keep you and your digestive tract healthy. For more information about how fiber affects your health read Fiber and You, Misc. Series 138. You can get this at your count