You know what Ma always said: Eat your broccoli.

	California Strawberry Commission To help you increase your fruit consumption, try a fruit salad that gets a different flavor with a dash of chili powder. This combination of fresh strawberries, mango and pineapple, plus lime and orange juice, gets extra zip from the chili powder. Click photo for larger image.

But now, in today's complex world of servings, we wonder, how much? In what form? And what exactly constitutes a "serving," anyway? A cupful, a bowlful, or something in between?

Until recently, the federal government -- our modern-day Ma -- did its best to encourage healthy eating habits through various versions of the food pyramid, in which it recommended eating a particular number of servings of various foods. Most recently, it tried to get wayward taxpayers to eat their fruits and vegetables through the 5 A Day slogan (as in, eat five servings of fruit and vegetables a day), which appeared on everything from pencils to publicity posters in schools around the country.

However, obeying the law of the pyramid, assuming you were so motivated, required some calculation and a reference chart: Eat five servings of vegetables at 1/2 cup per serving unless the fruit or vegetable is dried or juiced, in which case ... and on and on.

Since March, however, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which publish the dietary recommendations, have tried a more streamlined approach, even as they urge our fellow fat-addled citizens to add both quantity and variety to their fruits and vegetable consumption. The new math-less slogan? "Fruits and Veggies -- More Matters."

While initially this might seem vaguer and less useful than the old 5 A Day slogan, it actually might make it easier for us to figure out what and how to eat to get our fair share of produce.

Instead of servings, we get to talk in terms of familiar cups and ounces. A 55-year-old woman who exercises less than an average of 30 minutes per day, for instance, should eat 2 cups of vegetables and 1.5 cups of fruit per day. A 55-year-old man who exercises less than 30 minutes per day should eat 3 cups of vegetables and 2 cups of fruit per day. Go to www.mypyramid.com to calculate your individual needs.

The new recommendations actually add up to more produce than the old five "servings," which equaled 2.5 cups -- total -- of fruit and veggies.

When you think about it, you still don't have to eat much produce to satisfy even the more generous recommendations -- a glass of orange juice with breakfast and an apple, pear or bunch of grapes as a snack would satisfy most everyone's fruit needs. A salad with cherry tomatoes for lunch and a generous side of broccoli with dinner would take care of the vegetables.

Nevertheless, about 90 percent of U.S. residents don't eat enough fruits and vegetables, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The average American's vegetable and fruit consumption adds up to less than 2 cups of broccoli per day -- and in many cases, that "vegetable" is the french fry.

Not surprisingly, two-thirds of the adult population is overweight, and about half of those people are considered obese, or exceeding their ideal body weight by more than 20 percent, according to CDC.

As a result, federal health and agriculture officials are hoping the new publicity campaign will encourage Americans to add both quantity and variety to their diet. (Potatoes, corn and peas -- none of which is a nutritional heavyweight -- make up about 40 percent of the vegetables we eat, according to the CDC.)

Many studies show that eating lots of fruit and vegetables is one of the best way to lose weight, reduce the risk of having a stroke or heart attack, prevent osteoporosis and possibly prevent several kinds of cancers.

All vegetables are not created equal, though. As a rule of thumb, the lighter the color, the less nutritious. The deeper the color, the more vitamins and minerals. Americans, health officials say, need to eat more dark green, leafy vegetables such as broccoli, brussels sprouts and spinach, as well as richly hued fruits such as raspberries, cantaloupe, blueberries and citrus.

And while just-picked fresh produce is best, frozen and canned fruits and veggies are almost as nutritious -- and can be more nutritious than "fresh" produce shipped from distant ports.

Here are some tips from the CDC to help you sneak a few more fruits and vegetables into your family's diet every day:

Start the morning with a glass of 100 percent fruit or vegetable juice.

Slice bananas, strawberries or a peach onto your cereal, or sprinkle on a generous helping of blueberries or raspberries.

Eat a salad with lunch, and have some carrot sticks or a piece of fruit for an afternoon snack.

Try a new, exotic fruit or vegetable each week (and maybe let your kids pick it out to make them feel involved).

For busy schedules, buy pre-cut, pre-cleaned vegetables such as salad mixes and baby carrots, or produce that requires little preparation, such as cherry tomatoes, broccoli spears, cauliflower pieces, grapes, cherries, apples and bananas.

When you get home from the grocery, wash and prep anything that needs it, then store cut and cleaned produce at eye level in the refrigerator, or in a bowl on the kitchen table for easy access.

When eating out, try veggie pizza, wraps and soups, and a salad instead of fries.

Liven up salads with nutritious green or red pepper strips, broccoli florets, carrot or cucumber slices, or fruit such as oranges, grapefruit or nectarine slices.

For a nutritious snack after work or school, make a smoothie by pureeing a combination of 1 cup peach, banana, pineapple and berries with 1/2 cup of fruit juice, a cup of vanilla yogurt and some crushed ice.