A project of the Workplace Wellness Committee and the Department of Human Resources encourages UWindsor employees to eat a variety of colourful fruits and vegetables for better health.

The “Colour Your Plate Every Day” campaign highlights the health benefits associated with incorporating a spectrum of fruits and vegetables into meals and features a 20-day challenge to encourage employees to eat a more colourful diet.

Nursing professor Debbie Kane, associate dean of graduate studies and a member of the Workplace Wellness Committee, points to the benefits of increased fruit and vegetable consumption.

“Canada’s food guide recommends that we eat five to eight servings of fruits and vegetables a day. This daily intake of fruits and vegetables helps to maintain a healthy weight, decreases heart disease and high blood pressure, reduces the risk of certain cancers, and boosts our immune system,” says Dr. Kane. “At this time of year, fresh fruits and vegetables can be costly, but we now know that canned and frozen fruits and vegetables can be as healthy as fresh. Just select those stored in water and low or no sodium.”

The challenge period runs from February 29 to March 25; participants log fruits and vegetables they eat and can submit their results to enter a prize draw.

Find more information about the health benefits of a colourful diet, suggestions for adding more fruits and vegetables into your day, and the challenge online registration and log sheets, on the campaign website.