How Much Fruit & Vegetables Should You Eat In A Day?

Reviewed By Danielle Glesne, RDN, LD, CDCES

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It probably comes as no surprise that fruits and vegetables are considered staples of proper nutrition. Both fruits and vegetables come chock-full of an array of vitamins and minerals, as well as provide an excellent source of dietary fiber.

Fruit and vegetable consumption is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all-cause mortality (PMID: 28338764), among many other positive health outcomes. And for those reasons and more, we consider fruits and vegetables one of our Four Pillars of Nutrition.

Unfortunately, most Americans do not consume enough fruits and vegetables.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 9% of adults meet the intake recommendations for vegetables, and only 12% meet the intake recommendations for fruit.

Put another way…

• 91% of Americans do not eat enough vegetables

• 88% of Americans do not eat enough fruit

So how much fruit and vegetables should you eat each day?

Let’s take a look…

How Much Fruit Per Day?

The USDA's 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends adults ages 19-59 consume 2 cups of fruit per day (based on a 2,000-calorie diet).

One cup of fruit is defined as...

• 1 cup of raw or cooked fruit

• 1 cup of 100% fruit juice

• 1/2 cup of dried fruit

For other ages and calorie intake levels, refer to Table 4-1 (pg. 96) of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

How Many Vegetables Per Day?

The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends adults ages 19-59 consume 2 1/2 cups of vegetables per day (based on a 2,000-calorie diet).

One cup of vegetables is defined as...

• 1 cup of raw or cooked veggies

• 1 cup of 100% vegetable juice

• 2 cups of raw, leafy salad greens

For other ages and calorie intake levels, refer to Table 4-1 (pg. 96) of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Think “5 Cups A Day”

As you can see above, the guidelines recommend at least 4.5 cups of fruits (2 cups) and vegetables (2.5 cups) for adults ages 19-59 and based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

An easy way to remember this is to round up—4.5 cups is a minimum, after all—and think “5 cups a day.”

How to Eat More Fruits & Vegetables

There are numerous strategies and online resources to help increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables, like this one from the American Heart Association.

In addition to those, below are a few of our favorite tips and tricks:

1. Keep a bowl of fruit in view at home

2. Have canned and frozen options on-hand

3. Have fruit and/or vegetables with every meal

4. Carry portable fruit with you as a convenient snack

5. Create satisfying pairings with your favorite foods (like apples and cheese)

6. Make a list of your favorite, go-to vegetable-rich recipes

7. Try new vegetable-rich recipes (we love www.EatingWell.com)

8. Explore food substitutions (such as cauliflower rice)

9. Incorporate smoothies (with ingredients such as spinach, kale, berries, avocados, bananas, etc.)

10. Satisfy your sweet tooth with fruit for dessert (such as baked apples, stewed pears, or cubed melon)

As always, the key to sustainable long-term change is finding the strategies that work best for you and your family.

Which Fruits & Vegetables Are Best?

Perhaps you’re wondering which fruits and vegetables are the best. The good news is the answer is very simple: ALL OF THEM!

You can’t go wrong—so find your favorite and explore new ones along the way.

Questions?

If you could use some guidance on what this means for your individual context or goals, please don’t hesitate to CONTACT US.

We’re here to help.