The Lowdown on Produce
Making fresh produce and dairy products the focal point of your daily meals may help keep your whole family's blood pressure under control for years to come.
Studies show that eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, and dairy products throughout the day, every day, decreases yearly gains in children's systolic blood pressure. Preventing high blood pressure in childhood will help combat the risk for many serious health complications in adulthood, including stroke, blindness, and heart disease.
Because serving sizes vary according to age, getting your children to eat two or more servings of dairy and at least four servings of fruit and vegetables each day may be easier than you think. For toddlers, a serving may be as small as a tablespoon of vegetables per year of age, 1/2 a medium-size piece of fresh fruit, or 1/2 cup of yogurt. For older children, serve up a handful of dried fruit with a cup of yogurt to get one serving of fruit and one serving of dairy. For an after-school snack, offer your children a cup of raw carrots and celery with yogurt-based dip or fun-to-eat string cheese.
Healthy eating doesn't have to be a bore. Help your children get excited about eating right by visiting your nearest farmer's market and letting your children pick out fresh, locally grown produce, or involve your kids in meal planning and preparation by looking through cookbooks together and choosing healthy meals the whole family will enjoy.
