Food: National Five-A-Day Month

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National Five-A-Day Month
Wednesday, September 14, 2005

September has been declared National Five-A-Day Month in 2005. Five what, you ask? The answer is five servings of fruits and vegetables. The Federal Government, in an effort to promote a healthier lifestyle and improved eating habits, wants to encourage everyone to eat more fruit and vegetables. They have launched a vigorous campaign to educate and convince the populace to increase their consumption of these foods.

For years, the Powers That Be have encouraged people to use the food pyramid to plan their diets. These recommendations founded dietary proportions on a pyramid-shaped graphic with the food groups banded across it. On the base of the pyramid and therefore recommended to be most prevalent in the diet, were grains, cereals and breads. The next band up recommended vegetables, the next band fruits, the next band meats, dairy products and other proteins, and the very top of the pyramid, recommended for as few servings as possible or even to be eliminated entirely, were the fats, sugars, and junky foods that contribute little in the way of nutritional value.

And to all appearance, it hasn't worked. In spite of the best efforts by national agencies, schools, and other groups, most people were not complying with the recommendations of the food pyramid. As a nation, our diets are heavy in the fat department, and very light in the vegetables, even though these two should have been reversed as instructed by the food pyramid. There has been a steady and alarming rise in obesity across our nation, and with it, the rates of related health problems have also been rising precipitously. This costs all of us money, and that's one of the consequences that many people have difficulty seeing. First of all, obesity costs us in personal health care expenses. If we, or others in our family, are obese, the chances of having catastrophic health problems rise. In addition, obesity often causes lower-level, less acute situations that require consistent medical monitoring and daily medication. High cholesterol is one good example. People who have visited their doctors and know they are obese often find themselves in treatment for cholesterol problems. This costs a lot of money, albeit over a lifetime instead of the immediate, massive expenses of heart attack, surgery, and hospitalization. And it may only delay the big expenses, not eliminate them.

Obesity also costs us money indirectly in higher insurance rates, increased medical fees to cover those who are under- or uninsured, lost productivity and work time resulting in higher production costs, and so forth. State and local governments have noticed that areas with high rates of obesity are less likely choices for industrial expansion and increasing jobs. Perhaps industry leaders fear poor worker health or increased health care costs. Whatever the reason, many new business ventures and those that are seeking new homes avoid areas with high obesity rates. We pay and pay and pay for the dietary sins of the whole group. The Federal Government decided to try to find a better way to get the message across to people.

The guideline recommended by medical professionals is now five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables each day. These are now the food group recommended to form the foundation of our diets. The hope is that by adding these foods, we will replace some of the fatty and carbohydrate-laden foods that are so prevalent. Even to get the minimum five servings per day, one would need to be sure to have fruit for breakfast and vegetables at the other meals, and a few snacks of pure fruit. To get into the range of nine servings per day, some main dishes would need to be vegetable based. That's quite a change from our normal national diet, considering that French fries (or any other potato dish) don't count as a vegetable!

The fast food industry is responding with the addition of a greater variety of salads to their menus. Some have even started offering fresh fruits without doctoring them with sugars and other additives. It's now possible to get at least a few of those five to nine servings while you are on the run and take them to go.

How else can you sneak them in? Try main dishes for dinner that incorporate vegetables, like casseroles and stews. Go easy on the cheese and meat, as that defeat the purpose of the veggies! Try some of the new soy meat products: they have improved dramatically over the past years' versions. It's possible to have the taste and texture of meat and leave behind most of the fat and cholesterol. Snack on crunchy carrots or crisp cucumbers. Try a tomato sandwich instead of one sporting lunch meat. Keep fresh fruits around the house and keep them out on the counter where they are convenient for quick snacks.

Here's a challenge for you: keep track for one week of the foods that go into your mouth. Write them down, and NO CHEATING! Make an honest assessment of what and when and where you eat. The results may surprise you. Many of us think we are eating healthily, but sneak loads of little snacks from junk food. See how close you are really coming to those five to nine servings each day. And once you've made that honest assessment, see what you can do about increasing that number of servings of fruits and vegetables. Try to put your dietary emphasis back onto things that will help you live a healthier and longer life.

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