What is a serving of fruit?

USDA's dietary guidelines recommend that adults eat at least 5 servings of fruits/vegetables a day. Did you know that 5 is actually far below the ideal amount of fruit/veggie servings we should be eating in a day? IDEALLY, all Americans would eat 13 servings of fruits or veggies a day, however, the current fruit/veggie consumption among Americans is so low that the USDA has recommended (as a stepping stone goal) the minimum amount of fruits and vegetables in a day--5 servings. How many are you getting every day? And how much is a serving?

Here is a quick guideline to help you judge how many servings of fruits and vegetables you are currently consuming:

1 small apple = 1 serving
1/2 cup of raw fruit and vegetables = 1 serving
1 large orange = 1 serving
1 cup leafy greens (like spinach) = 1 serving
1 banana = 1 serving
1 small bell pepper = 1/2 serving
1/2 cup berries or grapes = 1 serving
1/2 cup cooked squash = 1 serving

As you can see, not all fruits and vegetables were created equal. Only 1/2 a cup of berries equals a serving of fruit but you have to eat a WHOLE LARGE ORANGE to get a serving of fruit from an orange?! The serving size is determined largely by the food's nutrient content...the more nutrients found in a food, the less you have to eat of that food to reach a serving size. (Be careful, this does not apply to processed foods like crackers and ice cream where they choose a smaller serving size simply to make the food look less caloric to the uneducated consumer). Fruits and vegetables are often judged by their antioxidant levels. In a nutshell, antioxidants are found only in plant foods. They repair damage that has been done to your cells by free radicals (from pollution, processed foods, and even just normal bodily processes). This is why increased fruit and vegetable consumption is associated with lower rates of cancer, because the antioxidants in the diet are busy repairing cells before they have time to mutate into cancerous cells.

So which fruits and vegetables have the highest antioxidant count? According to Healthy Utah magazine:
1. Berries
2. Broccoli
3. Tomatoes
4. Red grapes
5. Garlic
6. Spinach
7. Soy
8. Carrots
9. Whole grains (see, even grains have antioxidants if you don't process the crap out of them!)

Happy eating! Do yourself a favor and eat 5+ fruits/veggies today!



Serving size conversion came from: http://www.cookinglight.com/healthy-living/healthy-habits/how-much-serving-fruits-vegetables-00412000069526/