Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Month Highlights Benefits of Selecting Colorful Choices

June 23, 2011 - PRLog -- The Centers for Disease Control promote June as Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Month. A growing body of evidence shows that a diet rich in produce is essential for good health. With plenty of fresh options available during the summer, it’s a great time to encourage employees to increase daily fruits and vegetables to the government’s recommended levels. For most people, that means about 5 to 9 servings.

Fruits and vegetables come in a spectrum of appealing colors and flavors, but their true beauty is what's inside. They’re packed full of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and disease-fighting phytochemicals. A diet high in plant-based foods may reduce the risk of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, macular degeneration, digestive problems, and some cancers.

Nutrients and phytochemicals are often tied to color — the more variety and deeper the hue, the better the health benefits. Some of the most vibrant superstars include berries, cherries, plums, citrus, cantaloupes, kiwis, pears, red grapes, apples, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, carrots, onions, sweet potatoes, dark leafy greens, tomatoes, and bell peppers. It’s the combination of many colors that provides the best protection and benefit for the body.

Unfortunately, most people aren’t getting the amount or variety of produce they need each day. In fact, less than 25% of adult Americans eat the recommended daily 5 or more servings. This can have devastating health and financial consequences. According to the US Department of Agriculture, poor diet costs (www.ers.usda.gov/publications/aib750/aib750a.pdf) America more than $70 billion annually in medical care, lost productivity, and premature deaths  — and is associated with 4 of the nation’s leading causes of death (www.businessgrouphealth.org/benefitstopics/topics/purchasers/condition_specific/evidencestatements/healthydiet_es.pdf). The good news is that better nutrition begins with something as simple as adding more color to the meal plate.  

Colorful Choices (http://www.colorfulchoices.com) from Health Enhancement Systems (http://www.HealthEnhancementSystems.com) is a workplace wellness program that encourages employees to increase the amount and variety of fruits and vegetables consumed each day. The program is simple — no need to count calories or fat grams, just choose from a daily selection of more than 120 fruits and vegetables in a rainbow of vivid colors. Social support features make it even more engaging and effective.

For employers, wellness initiatives like this make good business sense: healthier employees are happier and therefore more productive. Research indicates that nutrition programs (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11917669) can yield over $10 in healthcare savings for every $1 spent.

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Health Enhancement Systems creates employee wellness programs for organizations in North America and throughout the world. More than 20 effective, engaging HES wellness campaigns have been adopted by over a thousand organizations — serving 1000s of participants successfully.

For more information about Health Enhancement Systems, visit (http://www.HealthEnhancementSystems.com) or call 800.326.2317.