Getting 5-7 servings of Fruits and Vegetables

There is compelling evidence that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can have a profound impact on your health. A recent study out of Harvard reported that folks who ate 5 servings of fruits/veggies a day had a 13% lower risk of death from any cause, a 12% lower risk of death from heart disease or stroke, a 10% lower risk of death from cancer, and a 35% lower risk of death from respiratory disease, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In the study they ate 2 servings of fruit and 3 servings of vegetables. This month I am hoping to have you think about this goal and see if you can meet it.

The first thing you need to know is what is a serving size for most fruits and veggies. You can find lists all over the internet, but here are some examples:

FRUIT (1 serving)

1 medium apple, pear, orange, peach or nectarine

1/2 of a medium avocado

1 six inch banana

1/2 of a medium grapefruit

1/4 medium pineapple

16 grapes or 1/2 cup

1/4 of a melon (cantaloupe, watermelon, honeydew)

1/2 a cup of berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries)

VEGETABLES (1 serving)

5-8 florets of broccoli or cauliflower or 1/2 cup

6 baby carrots or 1 whole medium

1 cup raw or 1/2 cup cooked leafy vegetable (lettuce, kale, spinach, greens)

1/2 large bell pepper

1/2 cup of string beans

1/2 of a large zucchini

In the study, there didn’t seem to be a health benefit to the starchy vegetables like peas, corn, or potatoes, or from drinking fruit juices. Interestingly, eating more than the 5 servings didn’t seem to give additional benefit, so don’t overload on calories eating more! Each fruit and vegetable have their own benefits, so ideally you rotate between different varieties.

Start small by adding some fruit to your breakfast or mix some veggies in with your eggs. Pick a lunch that adds in another serving or two like a salad, stir fry, sandwich with veggies or a side fruit. If you haven’t had your veggies yet at dinner, add a side salad and 2 servings of a vegetable. Meanwhile, while you fill up on these healthy items, try to have fewer of the less healthy carbs/fats/sugars.

I encourage you to track your consumption for a week. Add up the servings in your head and see how you do. If you are chronically running short, strategically plan how to get more or feel free to discuss it with me! Happy eating!

And finally, for those of you who read my emails carefully, you may be noting that I had set all sorts of goals for activities and communications to you for the first part of the year, and I have fallen short. If you ever set goals for your health with me and fall short on executing them, know that I am not going to judge you are be disappointed! Life has a way of making meeting all our goals challenging, and I can relate! But just as you all motivate me to keep trying to do better, I hope to do that for you. ( :

Thank you for partnering with me in keeping you healthy!