The 5 A Day challenge, offered by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) - a branch of the National Institutes of Health- is to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Studies by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the National Academy of Sciences indicate that the nutritional qualities of fruits and vegetables, with a low fat diet that contains plenty of whole grains, may decrease the risk of heart disease and cancer.

In 1992, the NCI began a multi-year public education campaign to increase consumers' awareness of the importance of fruits and vegetables. NCI has taken the "5 A Day for Better Health" message to grocery stores, classrooms, television, work sites, churches, and elsewhere.

In 1991, an NCI survey, which has the best available information on consumers' fruits and vegetables intake, found that the average American eats only about three servings of fruits and vegetables a day, and forty-two percent eat less than two servings a day. Yet the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends five to nine servings a day. You can see that many of us have a way to go.

A chief reason to eat more fruits and vegetables is their nutritional content. Most are low in fat and calories. Many are superb sources of the important vitamins A and C and have ample fiber content. Many fruits and vegetables, particularly dried beans and peas, are noteworthy sources of folate, a B vitamin that can help curb the risk of certain serious birth defects.

Produce has other great qualities. The likes of raisins, grapes, cherry tomatoes and bananas can be eaten on the spot as a tasty snack. They are the "original fast food”. Here are some suggestions for the 5 A Day challenge:

·Snack on raw vegetables instead of high fat, high salt potato chips.

·Add fruit to your cereal at breakfast.

·Use the salad bar when out for lunch or at the grocery store.

·Fill up on juice instead of a usual coffee, tea or soda.