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7 Gadgets to Up Your Vegetable & Fruit Game


Having the right equipment on hand can help you eat more vegetables and fruits. Here, we look at some fun and time-saving tools and gadgets that will help you prepare delicious plant-based meals and keep your diet on track.

Vegetables and fruits are an important part of a healthy diet. Not only has a high intake of vegetables and fruit been linked to a lower risk of a wide range of diseases, it has also been shown to promote overall longevity. Indeed, a study published in the BMJ suggests that if you are eating fewer than 5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day, each additional serving you incorporate into your daily diet will reduce your risk of dying prematurely by 5 percent (1).

Yet, despite everything that is known about the health benefits of vegetables and fruit, most Americans are still not eating enough fresh produce. According to a report by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only 9 percent of Americans are eating the recommended amount of vegetables, and 13 percent the recommended amount of fruit (2). And, Canadians are not doing much better: a 2016 study reports that only 11 percent of men and 20 percent of women in Canada eat adequate amounts of vegetables and fruit (3). According to the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, adults should eat around 2 to 3 cups of vegetables and 1½ to 2 cups of fruit daily (4).

Having the right fruit and vegetable tools and gadgets in your kitchen can make healthy meal prep a breeze and keep your diet on track. In this section of HealWithFood.org's Guide to a Healthy Kitchen, we review and kitchen tools and gadgets that can help you incorporate a rainbow of vegetables and fruit into your diet.