Fruit and Vegetables: Their Importance in the American Diet

Fruit and vegetables play an important role in the American diet. They are good sources of many essential vitamins and minerals, low in fat, and high in dietary fiber and complex carbohydrates. Encouraging fruit and vegetable consumption is a major emphasis of the Federal Government's dietary guidance policy. "Choose a diet with plenty of vegetables, fruits, and grain products," is one of the seven basic recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the official statement of Federal dietary guidance policy, which is published jointly by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) (see "Animal Products: Their Contribution to a Balanced Diet," elsewhere in this issue). Since the early 1900's, food guides from USDA have urged Americans to include plenty of fruit and vegetables in their daily diet. Yet consumption of fruit and vegetables continues to fall below recommended amounts. To address this problem, public and private organizations are instituting programs aimed at consumer education. Nutrition labeling may also increase consumers' awareness of the nutritional value of fruit and vegetables and promote consumption.