Food for thought: Americans are eating vegetables more than ever before (… but the bad news is they're covered in salt and fat)

Potatoes are most often eaten as fries, which doubles the calorie intake

Most Americans don't eat the fiber-rich skins of baked potatoes

Tomatoes are usually consumed in the form of salt-heavy pasta sauces

The good news is that Americans are munching their way through more vegetables than ever – though still not enough. 

The bad news is that they’re being served up with too much fat and salt, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Potatoes and tomatoes account for 51 per cent of vegetable intake, according to the USDA, but they’re often eaten in unhealthy ways while dining out, instead of in healthy home-cooked dishes.

For instance, potatoes are most often consumed as fries, which double the calorie intake.

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Little appetite for healthy eating: Americans often eat their vegetables while dining out, as salty pasta sauces and fries

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Spud you like: Americans eat plenty of potatoes, but usually as calorie-heavy fries

The USDA said: 'Eating an additional cup of potatoes in the forms prepared at home resulted in an increase of 88 calories, whereas eating an additional cup of potatoes prepared away from home increased calorie intake almost twice as much.'

The USDA also warned that ‘potato dishes, such as mashed and scalloped potatoes, are often prepared with added fats and sodium’.

 

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Baked potatoes are also popular, but while they’re a good source of potassium, the fibre-rich skins are often not eaten, especially when dining out.

Tomatoes are the second-most consumed vegetable by Americans, but while very nutritious in their raw form – they’re rich in vitamins A and C - they’re mostly consumed in salt-heavy sauces in pasta dishes and on pizzas, which aren’t known for being kind to waistlines.

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Slice of life: Tomatoes are mostly eaten in waistline widening pizzas

The USDA said: ‘While a cup of raw tomato has only 9 mg of sodium [salt], according to the most recent USDA nutrient data canned tomato sauce typically contains more than 1,000 mg of sodium per cup.’

The USDA recommends that Americans should lower their daily salt intake from 3,400mg daily to 2,300mg a day.

On average, Americans eat 1.5 cups of vegetables daily, about 50 to 60 per cent of the two to three cups recommended for adults and older children, the USDA said.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2636213/Food-thought-Americans-eating-vegetables-bad-news-theyre-covered-salt-fat.html#ixzz32U29epNb 
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