• manage weight better,
• are less hungry, and
• have better intake of other nutrients such as vitamins and minerals.

Why do fruits and vegetables help with managing weight?

• Low in calories. Most are low in calories compared to the same volume of other foods.
  See Volume Comparisons and How You Can Save Calories by Eating Fruits and Vegetables
• Help you feel full. They have a high water and fiber content, which helps you feel full and may help to delay feelings of hunger between eating occasions.
• Help you eat less. Eating raw or crisply steamed cooked vegetables requires more chewing, which may slow the pace of eating, helping to decrease intake at a meal.
• Replace ‘bad’ foods. Fruits and veggies replace foods that are high in fat and sugar.

What Do I Get For 100 Calories?

When you eat fruits and vegetables in place of other foods, you get MORE!  Why? Because they are high in fiber and water, the volume (per calorie) is greater when compared to other foods.  
See Our 100-Calorie Comparison Chart

TIPS

• Reduce the amount of meat or cheese on a sandwich by ½ and replace with veggies.
• Reduce your portion of meat at a meal and have an extra serving of veggies or salad.
• When making chicken or tuna salad, add an equal amount of chopped fruit and/or veggies, such as celery, grated carrots, cucumber, apple, grapes, pineapple or dried cranberries.
• Add ½ sliced banana or 1 small sliced apple to a peanut butter sandwich and reduce the amount of peanut butter by ½.
• Decrease portions of starchy foods and increase portions of fruits, veggies and salad.

  Examples

    Replace ½ pasta portion with vegetables topped with sauce.
    Replace pasta in soups with veggies.
    Add fruit to your waffle or pancakes.
    Decrease cereal portion and add fruit.

• Think ‘fruits & veggies’ first. Think of protein foods as ‘flavoring’ for fruits and veggies.

  Examples

    Stir-fried veggies with chicken
    Chili with ½ meat replaced with beans and veggies
    Veggie stew with beef

• Make fruits and veggies the ‘center of the plate’.

  Examples

    Portabella mushroom burger
    Vegetable curry over brown basmati rice
    Baked potato topped with broccoli and a shake of Parmesan cheese
    Sauteed veggies over whole wheat couscous
    Mixed vegetable salad with beans

 
Fruit & Vegetable Recipes
How Many Fruits and Vegetables Do You Need?
How Much Is A Cup of Fruits and Vegetables?
BMI Calculator
The Importance of Physical Activity