We’ve all heard it before – eat your fruits and veggies – but it’s a reminder we can all use. On Wednesday, November 5th, businesses and organizations across the region helped
bring healthy nutrition into the spotlight for the American Heart Association’s National Eating Healthy Day.
Americans typically consume about half their recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables. The American Heart Association recommends eating eight or more fruit and vegetable servings every day. For an average adult consuming 2,000 calories daily, that means about 4 ½ cups of fruits and vegetables a day.
Fruits and vegetables are high in vitamins, minerals and fiber, and low in saturated fat and calories. Most fruits and vegetables also have no or little sodium, and eating a variety of fruits and vegetables may help you control your weight and your blood pressure.
While heart disease and stroke are leading causes of death and disability for all Americans, more than 80 percent of risk factors for heart disease and stroke are preventable through behaviors like making better food choices, getting regular exercise, keeping a healthy weight and not smoking.
In Syracuse, volunteers from Welch Allyn appeared on NewsChannel 9’s Bridge Street to help promote healthy eating. Nancy Parsons and Abby Lepak talked about the important nutrients in fruits and vegetables that help our bodies fightagainst heart disease, cancer, and more.
Once they got back to work, Nancy and Abby took part in Welch Allyn’s National Eating Healthy Day activities. The cafeteria featured a grilled salmon salad, healthy soup, extra colorful vegetables for salads, and lots of fresh fruit.
In the Southern Tier, second and third grade students at C.R. Weeks Elementary School in the Windsor Central School District got to learn about healthy nutrition and get a visit from Rock On Café mascots Rex and Roxy!Rebecca Robbins, Cornell University Dietetic Intern working with Broome-Tioga BOCES, taught more than 80 kids about eating a balanced meal. Students drew pictures of their favorite foods and discussed what food groups each one belonged to. They also learned the importance of fruits and vegetables and why they should eat a balanced meal. Thank you to Broome-Tioga BOCES, Rock On Café, UHS, and Windsor Central School District for helping to make this happen.
And last but not least, the Syracuse office of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association got into the fun, too! Our lunch featured fruits, vegetables, and green smoothies.
What did you eat for National Eating Healthy Day?