64 CENTS FOR BETTER HEALTH (FRUITS AND VEGETABLES) April 27, 2005 Susan Noble Family and Consumer Science Extension Agent

You've seen or heard a zillion messages about the importance of eating five or more fruit and vegetable servings a day. But a pint of blackberries tops $4; you don't even bother to look at the price of fresh asparagus. You've decided that if the nutrition and government experts want you to eat fruits and veggies, they need to include some green - the paper kind - with their messages.

If this describes you, we need to talk. I don't mean to make you as sad as a store-bought radish, but you're off track. Don't take this personally; recent studies show that many Americans have mistakenly assumed it costs too much to eat healthy.

In surveys conducted by the Produce for Better Health Foundation, people list two main reasons for not eating enough vegetables and fruits. One reason is the perceived high cost. The second reason is that five servings a day sounds like too much food.

But according to those experts, eating plenty of produce - fresh, frozen, or canned - is actually very affordable. Are they lacking math skills or what?

To examine their thinking, first consider serving size. The standard serving sizes set by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) are significantly smaller than the oversized servings of prepared food we're used to seeing. For raw, leafy green vegetables, one cup is a serving; for cooked vegetables, it's one-half cup. The rule of thumb for fresh fruit is that one piece or one-half cup is a serving.

If you divide these serving sizes into the price of a vegetable or fruit, the actual price is very good compared to empty-calorie foods like soft drinks and potato chips. In a price analysis of 85 different vegetables and 69 kinds of fruit, the USDA reported it would cost consumers only $ .64 a day to eat three servings of fruit and four servings of vegetables. Now that's a bargain.

For the record, when it comes to vegetables, fresh ones in season are usually less expensive than canned or frozen. However, frozen vegetables are typically the most nutritious as they are frozen immediately after being harvested. Produce loses nutritive value with the passage of time, so vegetables trucked in from a distance are less nutritious than when they started their trip. The heat of canning destroys some nutritive value of vegetables.

But when it comes to tomatoes, do think canned. The phytochemical lycopene is best absorbed by the body after it has been processed into sauce, paste, or other tomato-based items.

So no more excuses; it's time to eat your fruits and vegetables just like Mom told you to do. Mother's Day is just around the corner - make her proud.

Here are some star recipes from a recent Heart Healthy Cooking Class I taught along with personnel from the Health Department and Southeastern Regional Medical Center. We featured fruit and vegetable recipes, because the experts now believe we need more than five servings a day. The recently revised Dietary Guidelines recommend two cups of fruit and two and one-half cups of vegetables per day (about nine servings) for people consuming 2,000 calories a day.

Think of this as old-fashioned Southern succotash in salad form.

Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook 3 minutes or till onion is softened, stirring occasionally. Add corn, bell pepper, basil, and limas; cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add broth, sugar, salt, and black pepper; cook 7 minutes or till liquid is almost evaporated. Remove pan from heat; stir vinegar into vegetable mixture. Dish is intended to be served warm, but chilled leftovers from the refrigerator taste great.

Yields 6 (2/3 cup) servings; 159 calories each.

These make great party food. Or try serving the pinwheels with soup to sneak some veggies into your kids.

In medium mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, ranch mix, and green onions. Spread 1/4 of mixture on each tortilla. Sprinkle bell pepper, celery, and cheese over the tortillas. Roll up tortillas and wrap tightly in aluminum foil. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. To serve, remove foil. Cut ends off rolls; slice rolls into 1-inch slices.

Don't let the long list of ingredients scare you away from making this dish. The broccoli cooks in the pot with the pasta and then the pot is used as a mixing bowl meaning fewer dishes to be washed.

Process cottage cheese in food processor or blender just till smooth, about 15 seconds; set aside. Spray a 7- x 11-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Cook pasta in boiling water for 7 minutes. Add broccoli to the pasta and continue cooking 3 more minutes or till pasta is al dente and broccoli is tender-crisp. Drain pasta and broccoli well; return to cooking pot.

In large nonstick skillet over medium-low, cook bell pepper in oil for 3 minutes. Add green onions and cook 2 minutes more or till pepper is softened. Stir in flour, mustard, and cayenne; cook 1 minute stirring constantly. Slowly whisk in milk and cook, stirring constantly, till thickened and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and whisk in processed cottage cheese and 1 1/2 cups cheddar till cheeses are melted and smooth. Stir in Worcestershire sauce.

Add cheese sauce to pasta and broccoli in the cooking pot and stir to combine well. Spoon into prepared baking dish; sprinkle with remaining cheddar and the paprika. (Can refrigerate up to 4 hours at this point; return to room temperature before baking.)

If recipe is freshly made and hot, preheat broiler. Broil till top is flecked with brown and cheese is melted, about 2 minutes.

If recipe has been made ahead and refrigerated, add up to 1/4 cup water if mixture looks dry. Preheat oven to 400°. Cover with foil and bake till nearly heated through, about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake about 10 minutes longer or till top is flecked with brown and cheese is melted.

Garnish with more sliced green onions if desired.

Yields 6 servings; about 415 calories each.

The use of brand names in this column does not imply endorsement by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service of the products or services named or criticism of similar ones not mentioned.

E-mail address: Susan_Noble@ncsu.edu

Mailing Address:
P. O. Box 2280
Lumberton, NC 28359-2280

Phone: 910-671-3276
Fax: 910-671-6278

Date Created 10/12/05