Fruit and Vegetable Servings
Fruits and Vegetables contain important vitamins and minerals that are essential to one’s diet. PIH Health Clinical Nutrition Manager, Cortney Kaller MDA RDN CNSC says. “Fruits and vegetables contain fiber that will help you stay full for longer periods of time and promote good gut health”. There are many health benefits in incorporating more fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet such as:
- Supports a low-calorie and low-fat diet
- Protect against cancer and other diseases
- Low in sodium and cholesterol
- Help decrease inflammation
- Aid in weight loss and prevent weight gain
- Help you maintain overall good health!
What’s a serving?
According to the National Institutes of Health, “A serving, or serving size, is the amount of food listed on a product’s Nutrition Facts label or food label. Different products have different serving sizes. Sizes can be measured in cups, ounces, grams, slices, or numbers—such as three crackers”.
A serving of fruit and vegetables is about 4 ounces or ½ cup.
How many servings of fruits and vegetables should you have?
“Depending on age and gender, it is recommended that adults eat 4 servings of fruit per day and 5 servings of vegetables per day,” says Cortney Kaller.
“A child’s recommendation of fruit and vegetables is 1-2 ½ cups,” Cortney adds.
Examples of fruit and vegetable serving?
Eating the right amount of fruits and vegetables should not be a challenge. Here are a few examples of fruits and vegetables that measure to about one serving:
Fruits:
- 1 medium apple, pear, or orange
- 1 half of a medium avocado
- 1 small banana
- 4 large strawberries
- 16 grapes
- 1 half of a medium mango
Vegetables:
- 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables or ½ cooked (lettuce, kale, spinach, etc.)
- 1 half of a large corn
- 6 baby carrots or 1 whole medium carrot
- 5 to 8 broccoli or cauliflower florets
- 1 half of a large bell pepper
Tips to enjoy more fruits and vegetables
Here are some tips that do not require much modification to your daily meals:
- Top your yogurt or oatmeal with fresh berries
- Add extra veggies to your soups
- Add frozen peas or carrot bits to your rice when almost done cooking
- Add leafy greens or other vegetables to your scrambled eggs or omelet
- Make fruits and veggies readily available by keeping them washed, cut, and in a container in the fridge
- Add more vegetables to your sandwich, like leafy greens or cucumber
- Blend your favorite fruits and sip on a smoothie or make a sorbet
Reaching your health goals depends on proper nutrition. Make sure you’re getting the proper nutrition to feel your best with help from the knowledgeable nutrition experts at PIH Health. To schedule an appointment for PIH Health nutrition counseling call 562.698.0811 Ext. 11320.
