America is not meeting its yearly consumption of vegetables. This is according to a new study by the United Stated Department of Agriculture. The reason behind the decrease intake of vegetables is due to the fact that production of green leafy vegetables and other varieties aren't really doing well. The highest consumed vegetables in the U.S. were either tomatoes or potatoes and lettuce came in third.
This is because in a study published in 2013, almost 50 percent of the American's vegetables compromised of either tomatoes or potatoes. Along with this, often times, these vegetable are served in a form such as French fries or used as topping for pizza. A study done in 2010 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, it is estimated that the U.S. vegetable supply needed to increase by 70 percent to meet consumer demands.
"What I see here with lots of potatoes, tomatoes and lettuce ... [is] that people are used to these items, and habits are hard to break," Lindsey Haynes-Maslow, a food systems and health analyst at the Union of Concerned Scientists, says. She also admitted that since there are fewer vegetables grown, it might be the reason why American's are choosing to eat what is available, for now. When there will be a start in more consumption of different vegetable, then there will be higher demand for it too, she added.
Federal dietary guidelines in the U.S. do not recommend on relying on potatoes and tomatoes and lettuce for the much needed vegetables in the daily diet. A mix of vegetables is prescribed--- dark leafy greens, orange and yellow vegetables and beans together with the potato and tomatoes. With a healthy balance of vegetables, risks for heart disease, stroke and some cancers are greatly reduced. It also helps in keeping a healthy weight.
