Eat a range of colorful produce
Get at least five servings of vegetables and fruit a day, mixing greens, reds, oranges, citrus and beans.
- How often
- Daily
- Time
- Part of meals
- Recommended for
- 7 factors
How to do it
- Aim for at least five servings of vegetables and fruit a day. More, and more variety, is better.
- Most days, eat at least one serving from each group, such as dark leafy greens, yellow or orange produce, red produce, beans or peas, and citrus.
- Fill half your plate with vegetables and fruit at lunch and dinner.
- Frozen and canned produce without added sugar or salt count, and they keep well.
- Don't count potatoes and fries toward your vegetables, and keep juice to about one small glass a day.
Why it helps
Eating more than five servings a day is linked to lower risk of heart disease and stroke than eating fewer than three. Different colors bring different vitamins, minerals and fiber, so variety matters as much as quantity.
Recommended for
Binge-watching on the couch
One more episode, slumped into the cushions, snack within reach.
habitCollege student
Late nights, long study sessions, dining-hall meals and a new social world.
habitEating out often
Restaurants, takeout and delivery for most meals of the week.
habitIntermittent fasting
Eating only in a set window, or skipping food on certain days.
habitKeto or low-carb diet
Cutting bread, rice, sugar and often fruit to burn fat instead.
habitLiving alone
Your own space and schedule, and nobody else around by default.
habitPlant-based diet
Vegan or vegetarian eating, built on beans, grains, nuts and produce.