Carson City September 03, 2021
The Nevada Departments of Health and Human Services and Agriculture urge Nevadans to participate in Fruit and Veggie Month, as proclaimed by Governor Steve Sisolak for the month of September.
Fruit and Veggie Month in Nevada is a time to learn and share ways to add more plants to an everyday diet for improvement of overall health and well-being.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans provides gold standard, evidence-based dietary and nutrition research; stresses the importance of fruit and vegetable consumption; and recommends consistently eating produce in all forms, including fresh, frozen, canned and dried. The vast majority of Americans do not meet recommended fruit and vegetable intake, with 80% under-consuming fruit and nearly 90% under-consuming vegetables.
“Fruit and Veggie Month is a wonderful opportunity to focus on ways you can incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your everyday routine in a way that works for you and your family,” said Sarah Rogers, the Department of Health and Human Services’ Nutrition Unit Deputy Chief. “Trying new foods and having a diverse, balanced diet helps with lifelong health.”
Adequate fruit and vegetable intake helps reduce a person’s risk of, and improves management of, chronic diseases. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact those across the state, certain nutrition-related chronic conditions put individuals at greater risk of experiencing severe illness due to COVID-19 infection.
Additionally, choosing local fruits and vegetables offers the benefit of less transit time between farm to table. This means the produce does not have to travel as far and can be harvested at peak quality to offer the most benefits.
“Consumers can support their health and Nevada’s economy by purchasing from local producers,” said Ashley Jeppson, Nevada Department of Agriculture Plant Industry Administrator. “Locally produced fruits and vegetables don’t have to travel as far to the consumer and can be harvested at peak freshness.”
For more information on the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services, go to dhhs.nv.gov, and find local fruits and vegetables through the Nevada Department of Agriculture at agri.nv.gov/NVFood