Are You In The 90% Not Eating Enough Vegetables?

Ninety percent of adults aren't eating enough vegetables. And it’s not almost enough. It’s not even close.

The CDC looked at the numbers and found that only one in 10 people hit the daily recommended amount of fruits and vegetables. Which means the other nine are out here missing out on the essential vitamins and nutrients required for a healthy diet.

This isn't new information. Everyone's known vegetables are good for you since they were five years old. But apparently knowing something and actually doing it are completely unrelated.

Sue-Ellen Anderson-Haynes is a registered dietitian who educates adults about basic nutrition principles. She says eating enough vegetables gets you the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants your body needs to not fall apart. The habit lowers your risk of getting sick and it makes you healthier overall.

So How Much Do You Need?

Two to three cups of vegetables per day. That's the target for most adults.

The exact number shifts based on your age, sex, and how active you are. But two to three cups is the ballpark. And if measuring vegetables with cups sounds annoying, Anderson-Haynes has an easier version: make half of your plate vegetables.

Do that consistently and you'll probably hit the recommendation without breaking out measuring tools. Eat them all at once or spread them out over meals. It does not matter. Just get them in somehow.

The specific vegetable doesn't matter as much as people think, either. Most of them are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Broccoli, spinach, carrots, peppers—whatever. More color is better, but really the bar is just eating more than you do now.

What Vegetables Actually Do

Eating vegetables isn't about preventing some vague health crisis 30 years from now. They affect how your body works today and how it'll hold up later.

Anderson-Haynes says vegetables give you an "outer glow" and an "inner glow," which sounds like something from a wellness influencer but actually means real things. Your gut microbiome stays functional. Inflammation drops. Weight management gets easier. You stay full longer. Digestion works right. Heart disease risk goes down.

Vegetables make the machinery run better. Skin looks healthier. Gut bacteria stay balanced. Heart keeps pumping. You're regular, which everyone wants but nobody admits.

And it stacks over time. Eating vegetables now means fewer problems later. More energy when you're older. Better quality of life in your 60s because you bothered eating some vegetables in your 30s.

Why Everyone's Bad at This

Two to three cups doesn't sound impossible. So why are 90 percent of adults bombing this?

Because vegetables are a pain. They take actual effort. You have to wash them, chop them, and cook them in a way that doesn't taste like punishment. They rot in your fridge if you don't use them fast enough. And plenty of people just don't like them or never figured out how to make them edible.

The solution isn't rocket science though. Look at your plate. If vegetables aren't covering half of it, fix that. Roast them with salt and olive oil. Toss them in whatever you're already making. Keep pre-cut stuff around for lazy days.

The obstacles are real but they're not insurmountable. They're just annoying enough that most people decide not to bother until their doctor starts mentioning blood pressure or cholesterol and suddenly vegetables seem less optional.

Easy Ways to Actually Eat More Vegetables

Frozen vegetables are fine and sometimes better than fresh since they're picked at peak ripeness and won't rot in your fridge. Toss them in a pan with garlic, olive oil, and salt—suddenly they're even tasty.

Roasting makes almost anything taste good. High heat, oil, seasoning. Carrots, broccoli, Brussels sprouts—they all caramelize and get crispy edges.

Raw works too if you're lazy. Baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, snap peas, peppers, and broccoli with ranch or hummus. Zero cooking required.

Start cooking with the easy ones: bell peppers, zucchini, spinach. They blend into pasta, stir-fries, eggs, soups without much effort or strong flavors that'll make you gag.

It's not interesting advice. There's no trick or shortcut. It's just eating vegetables like your body actually requires. But when 90 percent of people are failing at it, maybe being in the 10 percent who aren't is worth the effort.

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