The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend making ½ your plate consist of fruits and/or vegetables at meals. This can also be applied to including a fruit or vegetable with snacks. Like with the other food groups, the daily amount recommended varies for each person based on gender, age, activity level and any other conditions present. So like with the vegetable group, strive for 5! Aim for at a minimum 5 servings daily of fruits and/or vegetables, with about ½ (approximately 2 servings) coming from fruit sources. The fruit food group includes fruits in fresh, canned, frozen, and dried form as well as 100% juice. The Dietary Guidelines more specifically recommend that ½ of your daily fruit intake come from whole fruit sources vs juice and to dilute your juice with water to help with controlling sugar intake.
The following counts as 1 serving of fruit:
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1/2 large or 1 small apple
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1 cup of diced melon
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1 cup or 22 seedless grapes
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1 cup of canned fruit cocktail
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1 large orange
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1 large peach, 1 cup canned diced peaches, or 2 halves of canned peaches
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1 cup or 8 whole strawberries
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1/2 cup of dried fruit
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1 cup (8 ounces) of fruit juice
Note: For canned fruits, drain and rinse under water before consumption
Fruits are vital to our health in that they provide:
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Fiber: which supports our digestive system and can help reduce cholesterol.
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Vitamins: like Vitamin C, which is involved in the growth and repair of our skin and tissues.
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Minerals: like potassium, which plays a role in managing our blood pressure