By substituting cooked kale for raw spinach, it is possible to triple lutein/zeaxanthin intake. Ellagic acid - raspberries

Serving per serving, raspberries have roughly three times the ellagic acid compared to strawberries. Isothiocyanates - watercress

Just one cup of watercress as the basis for a salad has about the same level of isothiocyanates as four teaspoons of mustard.

The overall goal is to encourage Americans to close their "phytonutrient gap" by increasing consumption of all phytonutrient-rich foods. Importantly, by "powering up produce" selection on a regular basis and by seeking a greater variety of fruits and vegetables, phytonutrient intakes can be increased.

"The study reiterates our earlier findings that American adults are missing out on the health benefits of fruits and vegetables by simply not including enough in their diet," said Randolph. "Additionally, these data highlight the importance of not only the quantity, but also the significant impact the quality and variety of the fruits and vegetables you eat can have on your health. All Americans can improve their phytonutrient intake by varying the fruits and vegetables they consume and by focusing on foods that have a higher concentration of certain phytonutrients," he added.

Study Details

Supporting research for America's Phytonutrient Report was conducted by Exponent for NUTRILITE-, the world's leading brand of vitamin, mineral, and dietary supplements based on 2008 sales. The dataset comes from National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES), surveys that capture what Americans eat daily, supplemental nutrient concentration data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the published literature. The study population includes non-pregnant, non-lactating NHANES respondents ages 19 years and older with two complete and reliable 24-hour dietary recalls based on NHANES criteria. MyPyramid guidance for fruit and vegetable intake recommendations, which is based on the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, was used.

Source: Weber Shandwick Worldwide