Alice Henneman, MS, RD ● University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension in Lancaster County Save Time – Do More with our FREE educational resources: This publication has been peer-reviewed May 2011, updated slightly March, 2016 Created with PowerPoint 2007

How well do you know your veggies?

Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2015 (DGA2015) recommend eating at least 2-1/2 cup-equivalents (c-eq) of vegetables daily (based on a 2,000 calorie diet)

What counts as a cup-equivalent (c-eq) of vegetables? In general, 1 c-eq = 1 cup of raw or cooked vegetables 1 cup vegetable juice 2 cups of raw leafy greens

Pick a variety of vegetables from each DGA2015 vegetable subgroup

1-1/2 c-eq a week diet (based on a 2,000 calorie diet)

5-1/2 c-eq a week diet (based on a 2,000 calorie diet)

1-1/2 c-eq a week diet (based on a 2,000 calorie diet)

5 c-eq a week diet (based on a 2,000 calorie diet)

4 c-eq a week diet (based on a 2,000 calorie diet)

See if you can guess the following vegetables...

There is one from each vegetable subgroup

Veggie 1 Excellent source of protein, high in dietary fiber, potassium, and folate Often eaten cold in salads or hot in soups The type sold in the United States is usually cream-colored and relatively round Main ingredient in hummus NAME THAT VEGGIE!

Veggie 2 The French called them “love apples” High in lycopene, an antioxidant that may help lower the risk of certain cancers and other conditions such as cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis Taste best when stored at room temperature Botanically, they are a fruit NAME THAT VEGGIE!

Veggie 3 High in vitamin A A dark green lettuce Had its start as a Mediterranean weed Has a long, loaf-shaped head of sturdy leaves NAME THAT VEGGIE!

Veggie 4 Contains phytochemicals that may help reduce the risk of certain cancers Its four-petaled flowers bear a resemblance to a Greek cross, resulting in it frequently referred to as a crucifer or cruciferous vegetable Mark Twain called this vegetable “… a cabbage with a college education” Creamy white in color NAME THAT VEGGIE!

Veggie 5 The leading vegetable crop in the U.S. A medium (5.3 oz.) skin-on serving has just 110 calories High in potassium, a nutrient the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 recommend Americans increase in their diet A model of this vegetable serves as the basis for a toy named after it NAME THAT VEGGIE!

“ Thank you” to the following people (in alphabetical order) for reviewing these slides! Cindy Brison Lisa Franzen-Castle Mardel Meinke David Palm Amy Peterson Karen Wobig

Reference U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture – 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 8 th Edition. December Available at Retrieved March 2,

Extension is a Division of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska– Lincoln cooperating with the Counties and the United States Department of Agriculture. University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension educational programs abide with the nondiscrimination policies of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the United States Department of Agriculture.