We all know that fruit is good for us and that we should eat enough to meet our needs. But do you?
The United States Department of Agriculture outlines the recommended fruit intake for various age groups on the MyPlate.gov website:
- Children 2 – 3 years: 1 cup
- Children 4 – 8 years: 1 – 1 ½ cups
- Girls 9 – 13 years, and 14 – 18 years: 1 ½ cups
- Boys 9 – 13 years: 1 ½ cups
- Boys 14 – 18 years: 2 cups
- Women aged 19 – 30 years: 2 cups
- Women aged 31 – 50 years, and 51+ years: 1 ½ cups
- Men aged 19 – 30 years, 31 – 50 years, and 51+ years: 2 cups
If you are more active, you may need even more than the recommended amount.
A “cup” is defined as 1 cup of fresh fruit, ½ cup of dried fruit, or 1 glass of 100% fruit juice. It’s important to note that this refers to 100% fruit juice, not fruit juice concentrate or fruit juice mix. 100% fruit juice retains many of the nutrients and is actual juice from the fruit. However, it’s important to limit fruit juice consumption to just one glass per day, as it won’t fill you up as much (liquid empties faster from the stomach) and may not provide as much fiber as whole fruit.
Also, remember that dried fruit is much more energy-dense than fresh fruit. It contains more energy because much of the moisture has been removed. It’s easy to overeat dried fruit, as it is usually served in small pieces. Keep in mind that it will contain more energy than fresh fruit, so you may want to limit your portion size or remove it altogether.
In addition to fresh and dried fruit, you can also buy canned and frozen fruit. Although canned and frozen fruits may seem less nutritious than fresh, they can sometimes be more nutrient-dense, as they haven’t been transported and left waiting on store shelves. When buying canned fruit, look for fruit packed in juice, not syrup, as syrup contains much more sugar. Frozen fruit can be a great option if you’re looking for out-of-season produce, such as blueberries. Keeping a bag of frozen blueberries in your freezer makes it easy to incorporate more fruit into meals. You can buy pre-packaged frozen fruit or freeze your own fresh fruit in small bags. Small bags of frozen fruit are also perfect for smoothies—simply package one smoothie portion per bag, and remove it from the freezer when you’re ready to blend. No waste!
Why Fruit?
Fruit is high in fiber, especially when you eat the skin (for example, kiwifruit, apples, and nectarines), and packed with vitamins, particularly Vitamin C. Fiber is essential because it helps reduce the risk of many digestive problems and keeps us feeling fuller for longer—great if you’re trying to lose weight. Fruit is also a fantastic snack option, as it’s relatively low in calories. For example, a banana contains around 130 calories, but an apple has less than 100 calories. Both are low in energy density, especially when you consider that a small chocolate bar can set you back 267 calories! Remember, the different colors of fruits represent different nutrients, so aim to eat a variety of fruits in as many colors as you can.
Ways to Incorporate More Fruit Into Your Diet
Incorporating more fruit into your diet is easy if you break your day into meal times. Breakfast is a great opportunity to add fruit. If you eat cereal, consider topping it with fruit instead of sugar. If you prefer an egg on toast, simply add a piece of fruit to your meal.
Fruit also makes for an excellent mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack. You could have a piece of fruit or make a fruit salad. If you need something more filling, try slicing a banana onto wholegrain toast or enjoy a fruit salad with yogurt. You can also make a smoothie using fresh fruit, low-fat milk, and yogurt.
Adding fruit to lunch is easy, or you could mix fruits like strawberries or kiwifruit into your salad. You can also have your one glass of 100% fruit juice at this time. At dinner, it might seem trickier to incorporate fruit, but you can add it to your salad or finish your meal with fresh fruit for dessert. Fruit can also be turned into a treat—think strawberries dipped in chocolate or fruit and marshmallow kebabs.
It may seem difficult to include enough fruit in your diet, but there are plenty of options: fresh fruit, 100% fruit juice, dried fruit, canned fruit, and frozen fruit. Fruit is important for your health, so make sure you and your family find convenient ways to include it in your daily meals.
