OMG, folks, welcome back!
I’m happy to be back behind the mic to give you the latest. If you are new here or simply forgot who the hell I am because its been a hot minute, I’m the slightly naughty and sometimes scanalous host of Blasphemous Nutrition, Aimee, and I am probably your most enthusiastic professional produce promoter.
Today I am going to talk about produce. I feel like much of the past year I was really emphasizing protein and why it is so crucial for our health. The internet has finally caught up to me so I’m going to now discuss the second of the 2 questions I ask you to ask yourselves when you sit down to a meal. The first Q is where is my protein. The second questionis - where is my produce?
It is clear to me that hardly anyone in the English speaking Western world asks themselves this question, as
Produce intake in the English speaking industrialized world is rather abysmal. While most governments recommend 5 or more servings of veg and fruit daily, 90% of Americans neglect to meet this amount, 70% of Australians are falling short, and 2/3 of the UK and Irish population is neglecting to get their five a day.
That said, the The 5-a-day guideline is not actually the bar we should be aiming for if we want to do everything we can to ward off disease —science supports closer to 10 servings (or 800g) daily needed for optimal health benefits. When assessing population data, there are multiple studies which indicate that the more fruits and veggies we eat, the greater the benefit to health. Research caps out at 10 servings daily - not because more is not better, but simply because there is not enough research looking at whether greater than 10 servings has any additional benefit.
Most individuals struggle to get more than 2-3 servings of combined fruit and veg a day, so leveling up to 10 is no small task. And honestly, it isn’t something that I recommend to most people straight out of the gate as an initial goal. However, when we set the bar of success at 5 thinking that’s optimal, we may feel like 2-3 is good enough by believing it meets 40-60% of our needs rather than only 20-30% of our needs. For some people, creating a stretch goal of 10 motivates them to raise their own bar, and gives them the extra push to perhaps elevate produce to an average of 5-6 servings a day instead of 3, which would then not only vastly increase your health and the nutrient density of your diet, but basically put you at the top of your class among your countrymen.
When I spoke with Sarah Ballantyne for this podcast last autumn, she said the magnitude of benefit does slow down after 5 servings. So getting to those 5 if you are averaging 1-2 does more for your overall health than pushing for 10 when you are already getting 8, if that makes sense. Stated another way, while there is a linear correlation showing that every vegetable reduces risk of death and disease from all causes, the difference from 2 to 6 is more impactful than 6-10.
So if there is any great takeaway from this episode today, it is that getting 5 servings of vegetables and fruit each day is a non-negotiable if you want to take serious, dedicated action to preserving or recovering your health. If you have chronic disease, aiming for 7 - 10 servings a day (based upon physical size) is probably your best course of action.
This isn’t advice you often hear. I think most people believe that if the baseline is so low, being transparent about just how far off we are will scare people away. Regardless of whether or not the greatest gains come from those first five servings, I think all of us are given a disservice if we neglect to disclose that the benefits keep accumulating if we aim for even more than 5 servings a day.
But hey - don’t take my word for it - lets talk a bit about the research:
II. The Science Behind High Vegetable Consumption
A. Disease Prevention
High produce intake is linked to lower risk of chronic diseases, including 9 of the top 10 causes of death in the United States - basically everything but accidents can be mitigated to some extent by a high produce diet. The most compelling research shows impact in reducing the risk of getting
Cardiovascular disease
Type 2 diabetes
Certain cancers
Neurodegenerative diseases
Dagfin Aune and his team conducted a Meta-analysis and systematic review of 95 population studies from Europe, Asia, USA and Australia and found that 800g/day of produce reduces premature death risk from all causes significantly. When it comes to cancer, this meta-analysis and review demonstrated that cancer preventative benefits peaked at 600 grams a day, but benefits kept going for cardiovascular disease, stroke, and all cause mortality. For every extra 200 grams (about 1.5 cups) consumed per day, the relative risk of heart disease, stroke, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and overall mortality decreases by varying amounts, ranging from 3% to 18%. When comparing people who eat 500 grams (about 3–4 cups) per day to those eating very little (0–40 grams), the relative risk reductions are even greater—up to 28% for heart disease and 27% for overall mortality. At 800 grams per day, the benefits increase further, with a 31% lower risk of death from any cause.
I want to make an important distinction here. Relative risk is not absolute risk. Population and observational studies do not reflect absolute risk reduction. What is the difference? In this study, the Relative risk reduction (RRR) measures how much eating more fruits and vegetables lowers the risk of a disease compared to the baseline group that consumes little to none. RRR is useful for comparing risk between groups but doesn’t tell you the absolute risk, which depends on individual factors like age, genetics, and lifestyle. So let’s translate this.
CDC data reports that all Americans have a 1 in 5 chance, or 20% absolute risk, of dying from heart disease over the course of their lifetime. That risk jumps up quite a bit after 40, with data from the Framingham study suggesting a 50% chance for American men over 40 of dying from heart disease and a 33% chance for American women over 40. In general, the average American also eats the least amount of produce of the Western industrialized world. So using the CDC data, Americans, who eat very little produce, have a 20% absolute risk of heart disease, but according to the Aune meta-analysis, those who eat 800 grams per day have a 24% relative risk reduction. So an American who eats 800 grams of produce may expect their lifetime risk to drop by 24% of the original 20% absolute risk —bringing it down to an absolute risk of 15.6% .
Baseline absolute risk (BAR) of dying from cardiovascular disease (CVD) = 20% (or 0.20)
Relative risk reduction (RRR) from eating 800g of produce = 22% (or 0.22)
Absolute Risk Reduction = 0.20×0.22 = 0.44 or 4.4% reduction in risk.
20% absolute risk - 4.4% Absolute risk reduction = 15.6% lifetime risk of death from heart disease when consuming 800 grams of produce daily.
In the over 40 group, we are looking at the benefits to men being a drop from 50% risk to 39% (ARR=0.50×0.22=0.11 (or 11%) when consuming 800 grams produce daily.
New absolute risk for men: 50% - 11% = 39%
For women over 40, consuming 800 grams of produce a day will reduce your absolute risk of heart disease from 33% risk to 25.7% (ARR=0.33×0.22=0.073 (or 7.3%) when consuming 800 grams produce daily.
New absolute risk for women: 33% - 7.3% = 25.7%
While this probably isn’t dramatic enough for those of us who do not have a family history of heart disease, when multiple members of your family do have heart disease and you know looking at your family tree that your risk is quite a bit higher, this is one way you can pretty significantly impact your own personal risk.
The big takeaway here is that if there is a 20% relative risk reduction, that does not mean your chances of dying is 20% less. It’s 20% less than it would be otherwise, based upon your own lifestyle and genetic risk.
While its easy to get bogged down in the weeds, what is consistently shown in population data is that those who eat more produce live longer and stay healthier than those who don’t. The greater your risk of chronic disease, the more impactful they can be. And for those with chronic disease or general, undiagnosed malaise, there can be great impact as well - not just in terms of reducing reliance on over the counter or prescription meds, but also in quality of life as measured in energy, vitality, and clarity of mind. These are things that are more observed in a clinical setting than ‘proven’ in research, although research does show associations between high produce intake and better mood as well as reduced severity of disease in those with chronic diseases such as diabetes and kidney disease. (3,4)
What is it about produce that makes such a difference? I maintain that there are probably factors yet undiscovered in these foods, but there are several compounds which we already know about that make a difference.
B. Inflammation Reduction
Vegetables are rich in polyphenols, flavonoids, and carotenoids, which reduce inflammation.
Chronic inflammation is a root cause of metabolic dysfunction leading to diabetes and heart disease, as well as chronic joint pain, and autoimmune disorders. An anti-inflammatory diet helps balance the immune response to be able to better combat inflammation, and a multitude of compounds in produce support this a more balanced response.
C. Gut Health & Microbiome Benefits
High-fiber intake feeds beneficial gut bacteria. Our gut bacteria play an important roll in our immune system and keeping it in balance, so that it shows up to put inflammatory fires out and corners nefarious bacteria, viruses and pathogens which may cause disease, but does not go out of control and burn the whole building down in the process. Having a diverse, abundant population of beneficial bacteria in your microbiome is like having the foundational support to enable a fully staffed fire, police and medical crew to quickly and competently deal with any emergency when it arises. While whole grains get touted for their high fiber content, vegetables, fruits and beans deliver a more powerful punch than grains do.
Diversity of fiber sources is also key to maintaining microbiome balance. Taking a spoonful of metamucil a day and calling it good is not a complete and comprehensive plan for gut health. Diversity of fiber from soluble and insoluble sources supports a diverse and balanced gut microbiome, helping to regulate the immune system and prevent excessive inflammation. When gut bacteria are imbalanced (dysbiosis), it can lead to chronic low-grade inflammation, which is a major driver of conditions like:
Cardiovascular disease (via increased arterial inflammation)
Type 2 diabetes (by impairing insulin sensitivity)
Autoimmune diseases (such as rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis)
How does imbalanced gut bacteria lead to inflammation elsewhere in the body? Very simply speaking, an imbalance of those gut microbiome leave our safety crew under-resourced. Various bad actors or even simple wear and tear create inflammation in the gut, which weakens the integrity of the gut wall, allowing compounds, including inflammatory and immune activating ones, into the blood supply from the gut. This alerts the immune system, exacerbating inflammation and cell damage throughout the body and brain. Thus a compromised gut can be the root of joint pain, mood disorders, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease in some people.
Research shows fiber intakes of 35- 50 grams or more significantly support balanced blood sugar and reduces risk and severity of diabetes. Given the average western diet contains 15-20 grams of fiber (with US being at the bottom of that range and Australia at the upper end of that range), you can see we have loads of room to improve here! A mix of soluble and insoluble fiber appears to be key to getting the best results. These are a mix of what my midwestern, farming ancestors would have referred to as ‘roughage’. It resists digestion, adds bulk to our stool and is found in leafy greens, fruit skins, and beans. Soluble fiber soaks up water and turns into a gel-like, viscous substance. You can find soluble fiber in most fruits and veggies as well as oats, avocado, flax seeds, psyllium husk, beans and nuts. 5, 6, 7
D. Blood Sugar & Metabolic Health
Fiber and phytonutrients in vegetables help regulate blood sugar! As mentioned earlier, a high fiber diet exceeding 35 grams a day helps with blood sugar control in those with diabetes and reduces the risk of acquiring diabetes, making it crucial for preventing insulin resistance that leads to Type 2 diabetes and managing diabetes.
How Phytonutrients Support Blood Sugar Control
1️⃣ They Help Insulin Work Better – Some phytonutrients, such as quercitin in apples, onions and berries, directly stimulate GLP-1 secretion and can therefore support insulin release, making your body more efficient at clearing sugar from your blood. (8) Other phytochemicals, such as polyphenols reduce insulin resistance, helping cells actually use glucose instead of letting it hang around and cause damage. This is one of the reasons why a Mediterranean diet is so strongly associated with reduced risk of diabetes - olive oil, veggie, and berries are high in polyphenols!
2️⃣ They Slow Down Carb Breakdown – Certain plant compounds inhibit enzymes that digest carbohydrates (think of them as putting speed bumps in the road for sugar absorption). These are found in black beans, dark colored berries rich in polyphenols, and various herbs and spices. This means a slower, more controlled rise in blood sugar instead of a rollercoaster spike (16-18)!
3️⃣ They Fight Inflammation & Oxidative Stress – Blood sugar issues aren’t just about excess sugar or carbs in the diet — they’re also heavily connected to inflammation. Phytonutrients reduce oxidative damage, helping to protect the body from long-term metabolic dysfunction.
🌿 Which Phytonutrients Pack the Biggest Punch?
The greatest research on food compounds supporting blood sugar and metabolic health come from polyphenols as well as other compounds found in common spices.
Cinnamon – Cinnamaldehyde boosts insulin sensitivity and keep blood sugar levels steadier. Just 3-6 grams daily is effective dose. That’s less than 1/2 a tablespoon ground cinnamon! (9, 10)
Curcumin – Improves glucose tolerance and help with long-term blood sugar regulation, lowering Hemoglobin A1c over time. This phytonutrient, responsible for turmeric’s bright color, is believed to lower blood sugar through its powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect in the body, thus improving insulin resistance. 11
Berberine - appears to get its blood sugar lowering effect through increasing insulin receptor sensitivity, similar to many glucose-lowering medications. It lowers fasting glucose and post-meal glucose levels in both healthy subjects and those with diabetes. (12, 13, 14)
Interesting to note - some research suggests that Polyphenols & Fiber consumed together, as they are found in unprocessed plants, slow down glucose absorption even better due to their prebiotic effect in the gut microbiota! (15) So put cinnamon in your oatmeal, turmeric in your stir-fries, and take some berberine with a high fiber meal to potentially compound the benefits!
🚨 The Catch?
While all this research is exciting, more clinical studies are needed before we can swap out meds for supplements. A multitude of factors impact absorbability and dosing of supplements, and not all work for everyone. All that said, adding more phytochemical power to your diet? Zero downside.
What I See in Clinical Practice
While the research is compelling, what really matters is what happens to you. For multiple years, I’ve led produce-focused challenges online and worked one on one with clients to increase their produce intake as a tool to meet their goals. Here’s what I consistently see:
Improved, more stable energy
Reduced cravings for sugar
Reduced signs of inflammation, from less joint pain, faster wound healing, and more stable moods
Reduced dosing on medication, from Tylenol and digestive meds to lowering need for blood pressure and blood sugar medications.
I want to reiterate these benefits do not happen only when someone reaches 10 servings of produce per day! They often occur at smaller doses, with consistent daily dedication. With doses above 6 servings a day, I see more significant changes in physiology.
III. How Much is Enough? Breaking Down 800g a Day
A. What does 10 servings actually look like?
If you are confused about what a serving of vegetables is, that’s for damn good reason! Even the research is inconsistent with what it determines to be a dose, ranging from 70-100 grams. If there’s no consensus among researchers, how can we expect to have a clear message to the general population? That said, by and large servings in the research tend to range between 80 and 90 grams, which is easier to measure but impossible to visualize, since it takes a lot more volume of a leafy green than it does a carrot to get to 90 grams! This is why produce servings are so bloody confusing. There’s no easy way around it, other than memorizing the following generalizations which get you close to the average recommended serving size:
1 serving of vegetables is equal to:
2 cups raw leafy greens
½ cup cooked veggies (including cooked greens)
1 medium bell pepper or carrot
B. Comparing Typical Intake to Optimal Intake
Average daily intake is far below 800g across nations. The most common produce recommendation across nations is 400g per day - that’s your 5 a day - and the World Health Organization recommends 400-600 grams of produce daily. Across the world, anywhere from 10 to 18% of the population meet that goal. Lower and middle income countries reach that 18% threshold of 5 a day, and as nations get more industrialized, produce intake drops. This likely is due to a combination of factors including less time cooking and preparing meals in the home and the increased accessibility of more processed, shelf-stable foods that one has access to as income and GDP increase, but these aren’t the only barriers people face.
C. What Should my Fruit to Veg Ratio Be?
Most people get more fruit servings than veg servings daily. Fruit is more likely to be portable, requires less prep, and for many people is more palatable than vegetables are. That said, the research pretty strongly favors vegetables over fruits when it comes to nutrients per bite as well as improved health outcomes. Green leafy vegetables and cruciferous veggies (ie - cabbage, kale, cauliflower, broccoli, etc) consistently show up as the healthiest of the lot. When making recommendations to my clients, I encourage them to have 1 fruit for every 4 servings of veggies. Most of the people I work with are concerned about blood sugar, weight and are over age 35. Those who are younger or in a stage of life with a lot of growth such as childhood and pregnancy do fine with 2 servings of fruit per 3 veggies, especially if those fruits are citrus or berries, which the research shows are optimal for cardiovascular and brain health and especially if most of those 3 veg servings come from green and cruciferous veggies. The devil is in the details and there are no rigid hard and fast rules to life, folks! With any recommendation, you need to assess where you are at, what your goals are, and what is reasonable and realistic for you at this time.
IV. Common Barriers to Eating More Vegetables (And How to Overcome Them)
A. Time Constraints
The amount of prep time produce takes is one of the most common obstacles people come to me with. The great news is that there has never been a more convenienct time or way to increase your produce intake as there is now in the industrialized modern world! From frozen options to pre-cut fresh produce and delivery boxes, there are many opportunities to take a great deal of prep work out of produce consumption. Additionally, prep work can be done in small batches at 10-15 minute intervals here and there and as you become more familiar with preparing and brandishing those knife skills, you find you get quicker. As with all things, sometimes the lack of familiarity is the thing which slows us down the most and the best way out of the intimidation is through the experience itself. Taking a produce heavy cooking class, a knife skills class, or watching videos on YouTube can show you all kinds of ways to make your time in the kitchen quicker, more efficient, and better organized!
Aside from buying pre-washed, pre-chopped veggies or frozen vegetables, you can Batch cook and roast large portions of veggies and have them on hand to toss into soups, stir fries, and bowls throughout the week. This is one of my favorite hacks. I also will divide the veggies into 2-3 sections on that roasting sheet and season them 2- 3 different ways so I have flavor variety across the days.
Making large portions and freezing extra for later is another great way to save time. While you are in the kitchen prepping, make more than what you need and toss it in the freezer for later when you simply don’t feel like cooking. This is a great tactic for soups, casseroles, and full meals as well as for individual ingredients such as diced onions, carrots, or greens that are wilted a bit but not yet bad. You just want to use whatever you have frozen in a cooked dish, not a raw one.
B. Taste & Texture Issues
Some people struggle with taste and texture issues, in part due to lack of exposure or exposure from a situation where the meal was poorly prepared. As a child of the 20th century, it was very common for kids in my generation to grow up having only iceberg lettuce salads, canned peas and beans, and really nasty-ass soggy canned spinach. I have seen countless people realize they actually do like vegetables, they just had never had them properly prepared before. There’s a lot to be said for a crisp-tender floret of broccoli vs an oversteamed or boiled frozen floret.
Some individuals also struggle with the bitter note many vegetables can have - especially lettuces and cruciferous ones. In these cases, add a little of the vegetable mixed in with one you like, or pairing it with flavors you already love (cheese, spices, dips) can be your gateway. I have zero problems drowning that broccoli in ranch dressing or cheese if that’s what it takes!
Seasoning and preparation methods matter a lot, and experimenting to find what you enjoy may be part of the process. (roasting, sautéing, fermenting, blending all significantly change texture and flavor, and when done well can be the game changer you need to get on board with a particular veg or vegetable family. I recommend that this be done first in a restaurant and when you find something you like there, try it a couple different times and then work on creating it at home as you get more comfortable cooking, if that is something you even want to do.
C. Storage & Food Waste Concerns also prevent people from purchasing and consuming produce.
If you have little storage and need to go to the grocery store more often, begin to integrate your grocery trips more intentionally with your daily routines and habits. Keeping a living list on your phone of what you are running low on or need to pick up will help you become more efficient on your trips. If you do not have a lot of storage you will also want to be more intentional with smart rotation strategies such as using your fresh produce first and always having frozen as backup.
Additionally, Long-lasting veggies such as carrots, cabbage, beets, winter squash are best saved for the last part of the week and plan on using more delicate produce such as mushrooms, berries, and lettuces earlier in the week so they do not get shoved back in the fridge and become mush. As with any new endeavor, there will be more thinking, strategizing, and planning at first to develop the system that works best for you. Eventually, it will run in the background alongside other routine habits you do that you don’t think much about anymore.
V. Practical Strategies to Increase Vegetable Intake
When it comes to pushing your produce intake beyond your habitual intake, there are a couple key strategies that my clients have found very helpful.
A. Front-Load Your Day
Getting veggies first thing in the morning means you don’t have to play catch-up later in the day! It also puts your body in a great place for better blood sugar management throughout the day, preventing higher peaks and lower valleys than what you would get with a starch heavy meal as your start to the day.
Breakfast veggies: Eggs with spinach, smoothie with 2 handfuls of greens, avocado on toast.
B. Double Up Your Veg at Meals
Instead of 1 veggie serving at dinner, make it 2-3 different types (use that sheet pan idea to roast several kinds) or double your serving when dining out. For instance, I love pho in the winter, but I always order this Vietnamese soup with extra veggies!
C. Sneaky Add-Ins
Blending green leafies, zucchini, pumpkin, cooked carrots, or even frozen cauliflower into smoothies.
Mixing shredded veggies into meat dishes (this was my strategy when my son was a toddler) as well as marinara sauce.
D. Snack Smart by Including Veggies!
Veggies + dips: Hummus, guacamole, tahini, nut butters.
Best Snacking Veg: Snap peas, Baby carrots, Baby bell peppers, Persian Cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, kale chips, pre-cut broccoli/cauliflower
E. Keep It Convenient
Use ready-to-eat options to minimize prep time: Salad kits, pre-cut veggies, soups.
Often times the biggest obstacle is between our ears! Having a preconceived notion of what it means to eat healthy - shopping at the farmer’s market for the freshest local produce, using only organic and grass-fed foods, prepping an entire week of meals in one afternoon - can be a set up for failure because it requires more time, money and desre than most of us have at our fingertips! Instead of thinking an Insta-worthy diet and planning strategy is the only option there is, look for the tiny cheats that get you closer and closer to a singular objective: consuming a minimum of 5 servings of vegetables and fruits daily.
VI. Call to Action: Making the Shift to 10 a Day
You don’t need to overhaul your diet overnight—just start adding more. Add it where you find it, start looking for it and use the question: Where is my produce? At the start of every meal and snack to get you looking and finding options in your day.
If you want support and my unique, customized strategy to level up your produce intake, sign up for the waitlist for my next Veg Hunter Experience!
In the meantime, grab the free “5 Ways to 5 a Day” guide for easy, actionable strategies to get up to 5 a day!
The key isn’t perfection—it’s consistency! Keep keeping produce top of mind, day in and day out, and keep looking for ways to fit it into your life rather than expecting your life to magically open up in such a way that the produce finds its way to you. If you stay a veg hunter - always on the prowl - you will begin to discover all the places veggies hide and all the veggies you can collect for your daily fare!
Until next time my Blasphemous Buddies, Romaine Calm and Carrot on!
Resources:
Download 5 Ways to 5 a Day here!
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