In the nutrition world, information about healthy eating can be confusing, complicated or even conflicting.  When it comes to produce, it should be simple:  Eat more organic and conventional fruits and veggies every day for better health and a longer life.  But here are some additional produce facts, which may be of interest to consumers:

• We Don’t Eat Nearly Enough: Only one in 10 Americans eat enough produce each day, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
• Slight Increases Can Prevent Diseases: If half of Americans increased their consumption of fruits and veggies by a single serving each day, 20,000 cancer cases could be prevented annually.
• Washing Removes Residues. Washing organic and conventional produce under running tap water often removes or eliminates any minute residues that may be present, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
• People Who Eat More Are Happier. Peer reviewed studies show mental well-being rose in accordance with the amount of fruits and vegetables consumed.
• Continually Tested for Safety.  Over 99% of the produce sampled by USDA had pesticide residue levels below tolerances established by the Environmental Protection Agency.  And 50% of foods sampled by the FDA had no detectable residues at all.

But there’s more! Fruits and veggies comprise the only food group that health experts everywhere agree we should all eat more of every day for better health and a longer life.  And, since farmers’ own families are their first consumers, food safety is always their priority.

Healthy and Safe – the most important facts of all to remember.