{
  "id": 7621816,
  "title": "More Americans Are Eating Fruit—But Fewer Are Eating Vegetables",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/more-americans-are-eating-fruit-but-fewer-are-eating-vegetables",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-09-15T20:04:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Time",
    "slug": "time",
    "url": "https://time.com/article/2026/09/15/americans-eating-fruit-vegetables/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A federal report released recently indicates that most U.S. adults are consuming fruits and vegetables daily, though not all. Around 70% of adults aged 20 and above reported eating some fruit or drinking 100% fruit juice on a typical day, while roughly 30% said they did not eat any fruit or drink any fruit juice. A majority, 93%, stated they consumed vegetables. These figures are derived from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) annual health and nutrition survey, which included 5,000 participants.\n\nThe latest data mirrors the dietary patterns observed in the previous survey conducted from 2015 to 2018. However, intake of fruits has seen a slight increase, while vegetable consumption has decreased. In the 2015-2018 survey, 67% of adults consumed fruit on a daily basis, and 95% ate vegetables. In the recent survey, women tended to consume more fruit than men (74% compared to 66%). The type of vegetables consumed also varied between genders; 42% of women reported consuming dark-green vegetables, whereas only 34% of men did.\n\nIncome level appears to influence dietary choices, with people having higher family incomes more likely to eat fruits and vegetables than those with lower incomes. Regardless of income groups, dark-green vegetables remained the least commonly consumed type. Despite the maintenance of fruit and vegetable intake, consumption still falls short of the recommended daily intake, as per federal nutrition guidelines. These guidelines suggest about 2 cups of fruit and 2.5 cups of vegetables per day. Nutrition experts note that 100% fruit juice, often consumed by 31% of adults, is less beneficial than whole fruits, as it lacks fiber. While the survey does not delve into the reasons behind people's fruit and vegetable consumption habits, cost is likely a significant factor. The NCHS survey, conducted between 2021 and 2023, did not provide an analysis of the factors influencing people's fruit and vegetable consumption. Food inflation was low from 2015 to 2019, but increased following the pandemic, with an overall average rise of 3.5% in grocery prices.",
  "summary": "A new government report details Americans' produce-eating habits.",
  "key_points": [
    "70% of U.S. adults eat fruit daily, 30% do not",
    "93% of adults consume vegetables, but less than recommended",
    "Women consume more fruit than men, dark-green vegetables least eaten"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}