FARGO - Adults in North Dakota and Minnesota rank lower than the national average in eating the amount of fruits and vegetables needed to reduce their risk of disease and maintain a healthy body weight.
Then again, most adults in all states are falling short in that regard, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The report, compiled from surveys, found only about 13 percent of adults nationwide eat the recommended 1½ to two cups of fruit per day and only about 9 percent eat the recommended two to three cups of vegetables per day.
The CDC said those who don’t eat enough of those nutrient-rich foods are putting themselves at increased risk for certain chronic diseases.
Minnesotans fared slightly better than North Dakotans in the survey, but both were lower than the overall rate. Some place the blame squarely on our seasonal extremes.
“It’s hard to get good veggies, especially in winter,” said Shawn Goodchild of Lake Park, who picked up fresh herbs and vegetables last week at the Northern Plains Farmers Market, in the west parking lot of West Acres in Fargo.
“We’re both actually probably in the low tier,” said his wife, Heather Hundt.
T-Roy Anderson of West Fargo, also perusing the brightly colored produce that day, said he thinks he comes close to eating the recommended amount of veggies.
“But throw some meat in there too, right?” Anderson said with a laugh.
It might be an availability problem, but it also comes down to upbringing and habit.
“We do tend to be meat and potatoes,” said Kim Lipetzky, public health nutritionist at Fargo Cass Public Health.
But the landscape is improving on all fronts, Lipetzky said, with the growing popularity of greenhouses, community gardens and community supported agriculture or CSAs, where members purchase a share of fresh produce from a regional farmer.
Her department is also part of a new program that aims to ensure all residents have access to safe, nutritious and affordable foods.
The Cass Clay Food Systems Initiative will investigate ways to support smaller growers who supply produce to farmers markets and CSAs and make sure the right policies are in place to help those entities thrive.
Lipetzky offered these tips for increasing fruit and vegetable consumption:
- Get involved in a community garden or CSA or shop at a local farmers market.
- Add vegetables to everything, from pasta mixes to pizza and sandwiches.
- Cut fruits and vegetables up shortly after purchasing, so they’re ready to eat.
- Advocate for more fruits and vegetables in the workplace and social settings.
- Check with NDSU Extension on how to preserve fresh vegetables.
- Eat frozen and canned vegetables in the winter, as they can be just as nutritious.
