More fruits and veggies

Fruits and vegetables are a perfect food for us modern humans. They're low in calories, high in vitamins and minerals, cholesterol-free, and they taste awesome.

Your body needs a variety of vitamins and minerals to function well. They help keep your blood pressure healthy, repair and grow tissues, produce red blood cells, defend against infections, and keep your eyes, skin, bones, and teeth in good shape.

But wait, there's more! The fiber in fruits and veggies helps to fill you up but with fewer calories. Fiber also lowers cholesterol, regulates blood sugar, and prevents constipation.

In the long run, this could add up to big benefits. A veggie-rich diet may help to ward off serious diseases like heart disease and stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers.

More than you're probably getting. Adults should get 3.5 to 5 cups of fruits and veggies per day, depending on age, sex, and level of physical activity. To calculate exactly how many cups you need, try this food plan calculator.

If bringing a measuring cup to the dinner table isn't your style, just cover half your plate with fruits and vegetables at mealtime. Go for more veggies than fruit over the day.

No single fruit or vegetable offers all the nutrients you need, so focus on variety. That means eating lots of different colors: dark green (broccoli, kale, spinach), red (beets, tomatoes, red peppers), yellow and orange (pumpkins, sweet potatoes, oranges), white (cauliflower, onions), and so on. Try to eat every color over the course of a week.

Fruit and veggies in almost any form counts toward your daily quota. Fresh or frozen, dried or canned,­ whole or pureed, they're all nutritionally comparable. (Just watch out for sodium and sugar in preserved foods. You can drain and rinse canned vegetables to flush out some of the extra salt.)

Even juices labeled "100% juice" are okay, but go easy on them. Avoid those with added sodium and sugar and remember that juices lack the fiber of whole fruits and vegetables.

Here are some easy ways to sneak more fruits and veggies into your diet:

• Keep frozen peas, carrots, broccoli, and other veggies on hand for a quick side dish. You can also throw a handful into rice when it's almost done cooking.

• Add extra veggies to soups, stews, scrambled eggs, and omelets.

• Think about sauces and dips. Instead of a creamy pasta sauce, blend up a quick pesto with herbs and kale.

• Keep dried fruits like raisins, cranberries, or apricots within reach at home and at work. They’re great for eating fruits that are out of season and perfect for lunchboxes.

• Whip up smoothies with fresh or frozen vegetables and fruit for breakfast or a snack.

• Make some popsicles with juice or leftover smoothies – kids love them.