"Fruits and Vegetables," "Fruits and Vegetables," that is what you hear every person who knows anything about nutrition spouting on and on about. It seems so monotonous, right? It almost seems that the message is broadcast so much to the public that it seems to even dilute itself. But the message couldn't be any truer. A few articles in one of the most recent issues of the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics explored some cool facts through research on these in your face foods.

Not only did it seem that pregnant women were more likely to eat healthy, but their old habits were more likely to return after birth. Also, COST was one of the culprits in determining what fruits and vegetables were bought at the market. This makes sense, right? With the rising costs of food, gas, subway tickets, and even bottled water, who wouldn’t try to cut economical corners when they can? The downside is, not every fruit and vegetable is created equal. "Eating Your Rainbow" might seem a little cliché, but in fact it is a good way of deciding which fruits and vegetables to eat. Also, it was shown that people are more afraid to try new fruits and vegetables - afraid of "wasting the money" on foods they might not like. It is also perceived that fruits and vegetables don't fill you up as much and are more expensive than foods within the other food groups, so they are purchased less and spoil faster. Although some of these thoughts aren’t too far from the actual truth, there is so much more to this story.

Another article looked into the idea that if people bought fruits and vegetables solely based on their nutrient content/density, they would automatically eat the right fruits and vegetables (F&V). This would also help in choosing the RIGHT kinds of INEXPENSIVE F&V instead of reaching for the less nutritious inexpensive ones (such as potatoes). In fact, through nutrient density analysis, dark green vegetables and deep yellow vegetables (squash, carrots, etc.) have the most nutrients per serving when compared to other vegetables (including tomatoes, potatoes, etc.). They also have a great deal of fiber, which helps keep the body fuller for longer. So these items may seem light and miniscule in the stomach with no real "bang for your buck," but in fact, you end up eating less overall and are getting more nutrition. When this information as paired with average cost, it was ALSO found that dark green vegetables and deep yellow vegetables (which do not include yellow onions) were the lowest in price when compared with nutrient density. Even potatoes, with a moderate nutrient density and low price, didn’t compare with either of these foods.

So what does this mean? Food such as sweet potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, and dark green vegetables (like spinach, kale, and broccoli) are the most affordable and nutrient dense when compared to most other vegetables. Choose these foods MORE. Eat the full spectrum of the food rainbow and balance it out with ¼ plate each of whole grains and lean meats. It might sound too easy, but that’s because it really is. These foods have the best "bang for your buck" and will keep you fuller longer when eating the right proportion (½ your plate). Even though perception is deemed to indicate reality, remember that it is not always true - so let facts guide your way to healthy eating.

Happy Eating Folks!