"If you're eating the way most people in America do these days, you're probably falling short of the vital nutrients you need. Fewer than 10% of us meet the daily recommended intake for vegetables (2 to 3 cups a day), and only 20% of us eat enough fruit (1 1/2 to 2 cups daily). The situation is even worse with what the US Department of Agriculture and Department of Health and Human Services call shortfall nutrients, which are important but underconsumed nutrients."
"Unfortunately, our diets are not as nutrient-rich as we wish they could be, for reasons that include access and affordability of healthful foods and reliance on overly processed foods over minimally processed foods. People aren't cooking as much as they used to, and they're snacking more instead of sitting down to meals. That adds up to more refined foods, and fewer nutrients, on the plate."
Fewer than 10% of Americans meet recommended vegetable intake (2–3 cups daily), and only about 20% meet recommended fruit intake (1.5–2 cups daily). The USDA and HHS identify vitamins A, D, E, and C, folate, calcium, magnesium, fiber, and potassium as shortfall nutrients; iron is a shortfall for adolescent and premenopausal females. Fiber, calcium, vitamin D, and potassium are classified as nutrients of public health concern because their underconsumption links to adverse health outcomes. Contributing factors include limited access and affordability of healthful foods, reliance on highly processed foods, reduced home cooking, and increased snacking, leading to fewer nutrient-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans.
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