How To Count Servings

How Many Servings of Fruits and Vegetables Should I Eat Everyday?

Nutrition recommendations including the new 2005 Dietary guidelines for Americans state that a person who eats 2000 calories a day needs 9 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. They recommend 4 servings of fruit and 5 servings of vegetables. That's equal to 2 cups of cut up fruit, 1 serving (1 cup) of salad, 1 cup of green beans and 1 cup of cooked carrots. Children who eat less calories need fewer servings and active teens and men who need more calories will need more servings.

What is a Serving?

• 1 medium-sized piece of fruit (for example: apple, orange, banana or pear)

• 1/2 cup cut-up fresh fruit or canned fruit, canned in its own juice

• 3/4 cup 100% fruit juice

• 1/4 cup dried fruit (for example: raisins, dried apricots or prunes)

• 1 cup raw leafy vegetables (for example: lettuce or spinach) or salad

• 1/2 cup cooked or canned vegetables

• 3/4 cup 100% vegetable juice

• 1/2 cup cooked or canned beans, peas or lentils

As you can see the serving sizes are small. For many foods, you may be eating more than one serving at a time. Here are some hints to help judge serving sizes:

• 1 medium piece of fresh fruit is about the size of a baseball

• 1/2 cup chopped vegetables is about the size of 3 ice cubes

• 1 cup chopped fresh leafy greens equals 4 lettuce leaves

• 1 cup cut-up fruit is about the size of a baseball