Cure Your Deficiency

By:   Jean Carper

Your fruit-and-vegetable deficiency, that is. Did you know adults should eat 7 to 9 servings a day?

Virtually every day I find new reasons to eat fruits and vegetables. The latest:

• Heart disease risk plunged 72% in men and women who ate more than five fruits and vegetables a day, compared with those who ate less than one a day, finds a large Greek study.
• Women who ate the most dark yellow-orange and green vegetables had 20% to 35% lower odds of breast cancer in Vanderbilt University research.
• Eating fruits and vegetables every day reduces deaths from liver, stomach and lung cancers by 20% to 35%, according to new Japanese research.
• Eating lots of fruit as a child cut the risk of cancer as an adult by almost 40%, a new British study recently reported.

Yet most Americans clearly have a fruit-and- vegetable deficiency. One-third of adults eat only one or two servings a day, even though the National Cancer Institute recommends seven to nine servings (five for children).

So, what to do? Here's one quick, easy solution: Put your daily quota of fruits and vegetables all together in one big salad for dinner. It's something I often do. At right is my formula; the basic fruits and vegetables provide a total of 200 to 250 calories. Add a little protein for a more complete main course.

A meal that really delivers
Here's an easy way to get your 7 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables all in one big salad. Just select ingredients that suit your tastes from each category, toss with your favorite dressing and serve. The amounts feed one person; for more, simply multiply amounts. Use a really big bowl!

Start with 2 cups of GREENS
Spinach. Romaine. Boston, leaf or bibb lettuce. Arugula. Watercress. Mixed gourmet greens.

Add 1/2 cup of any 3 or 4 Vegetables
Red or green onions. Carrots. Cauliflower. Green beans. Broccoli. Tomatoes. Peas. Bell peppers. Radishes. Celery. Beets. Red or green cabbage. Turnips. Corn. Cucumber. Avocado (this choice is more caloric than most). Artichoke hearts. Chickpeas, white beans or black beans, rinsed.

Add 1/2 cup of any 2 or 3 fruits
Apple. Pear. Orange. Grapefruit. Strawberries. Blueberries. Red or purple seedless grapes. Figs. Mango. Kiwi. Canned mandarin oranges, drained.

Optional: 2 Tbs. Nuts or seeds
Walnuts. Pecans. Almonds. Dry-roasted peanuts. Hazelnuts. Sunflower or pumpkin seeds.

Optional: 1/4 cup CHEESE
Feta. Blue. Cheddar. Swiss. Parmesan. Mozzarella. Goat. Pepper Jack. Brie.

Optional: 2-3 ounces Poultry, fish or egg
Chicken or turkey, white meat. Salmon or tuna, fresh or canned. Hard-boiled egg.

Optional: HERBS, to taste
Basil. Cilantro. Lemongrass. Tarragon. Mint. Parsley.

Copyright 2004 Jean Carper. Printed first in USA Weekend. All rights reserved.

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