Vegan Nutrition with Jill Nussinow, MS, RD

Jill Nussinow is a Registered Dietitian, culinary educator, cookbook author, speaker and consultant and all around proponent of a plant-based diet. She teaches vegetarian and vegan cooking at Santa Rosa Junior College in California and other places around the US. She has a son who is almost 15. One of her greatest joys is sharing her enthusiasm for vegetables and pressure cooking with anyone who will listen.
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I often hear the advice to eat five fruits and vegetables daily. Does it mean five fruits and five vegetables or five fruits and/or five vegetables?

Well, not to burst your bubble but the current recommendation for the number of daily servings has been increased. With the new Food Guide Pyramid at www.mypyramid.gov, the servings have been simplified and now you just want to think in total amounts. The 9 to 11 servings recommended each day for most adults is 4 1/2 cups per day. I recommend that you try to get your vegetable servings first, and then go for the fruits. Most people usually eat the fruit before the vegetables, as our preference is naturally toward sweet foods. The key is to get a variety of different fruits and vegetables in a rainbow of colors to get an assortment of phytochemicals and antioxidants. The pyramid website recommends the following and I agree:

Dark Green Vegetables = 3 cups weekly
Orange Vegetables = 2 cups weekly
Dry Beans & Peas = 3 cups weekly
Starchy Vegetables = 3 cups weekly
Other Vegetables = 6 1/2 cups weekly

Choose vegetables and fruits in season for the best flavor and value.

Visit Jill's website TheVeggieQueen.com and her blog theveggiequeen.blogspot.com.

Ask your nutrition question here.

Disclaimer: The advice given here is for eductional purposes only. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified health care provider.

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