What Counts as a Cup?

The CDC has an article that shows you what counts as servings of fruits and vegetables. It can be hard to

know what to eat when all you know is "5 a day". What does that even mean? Vegetables come in all shapes and sizes. Some of them are a cup and some a half. You can refer to a previous post to read more about that. Here are helpful examples from the CDC:

	1 cup 1/2 cup 1 small apple 1 small banana
	1 cup 1/2 cup 1 cup of lettuce* and 1/2 cup of other vegetables 6 baby carrots
	1 cup 1/2 cup 1/2 large sweet potato and 1/2 cup of green beans 16 grapes

EXAMPLES OF 1 CUP 1 small apple 1 large banana 1 medium grapefruit

1 large orange 1 medium pear 1 small wedge watermelon

2 large or 3 medium plums 8 large strawberries 1 large bell pepper

1 medium potato 2 large stalks of celery 1 cup cooked greens or 2 cups raw (spinach, collards, mustard greens, turnip greens)

12 baby carrots (or 2 medium carrots)

1 large sweet potato

1 large ear of corn

EXAMPLES OF 1/2 CUP 1 snack container of applesauce (4oz) 16 grapes 1 medium cantaloupe wedge

1/2 medium grapefruit 4 large strawberries 5 broccoli florets

6 baby carrots 1 large plum 1 small box (1/4 cup) of raisins

5 a day

Fruits & Veggies — More Matters™ is a dynamic health initiative that consumers will see in stores, online, at home and on packaging. It replaces the existing 5 A Day awareness program and will leverage the 5 A Day heritage and success to further inspire and support consumers to eat more fruits and vegetables, showcasing the unrivaled combination of great taste, nutrition, abundant variety, and various product forms (fresh, frozen, canned, dried, and 100% juice). It also will build upon the body of science that indicates that increased daily consumption of fruits and vegetables may help prevent many chronic diseases.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) are leading this initiative and are in partnership with other health organizations. The goal is to achieve increased daily consumption of fruits and vegetables.

(from the CDC via fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov)

This government resource is a fantastic place to learn about fruit and vegetables and incorporate 5 day into your day.  I know though, that 5 a day is daunting!  And could be so expensive!  So even if it's three or four a day,  fruit and veggies add so much to your health.  The website explains:

"Fruits and vegetables contain essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber that may help protect you from chronic diseases. Compared with people who consume a diet with only small amounts of fruits and vegetables, those who eat more generous amounts as part of a healthful diet are likely to have reduced risk of chronic diseases, including stroke and perhaps other cardiovascular diseases, and certain cancers."

Something I'm learning over and over in my classes is that so many people get diseases that are preventable.  And some start with eating right and exercising.  I would definitely recommend you browse this website, as it has many resources. 

Here are some tips on incorporating fruits and veggies in your day:

1.  take a few minutes on Sunday evening or at night to fill snack baggies with carrots, snap peas, peppers, etc., and set them all together in the fridge.  That way, in the morning when you're grabbing lunch, you can add some veggies to your lunch.  Fruit is a little more tricky since it can oxidize faster, but try grapes (16, to be exact) or bananas in your lunch, as they are easier to prepare.  Apples are also pre-packaged, so to speak, as are little oranges and plums.  (I got this idea from one of my teachers...I am going to try it!)

2.  You can use a snack container of applesauce or mixed fruit (try to find ones packaged without heavy syrups and a lot of sugar)...those count as a 1/2 cup equivalent of fruit. 

3.  Dried cranberries/ any-other-dried-things you like... anyone?  They are pretty good and you only need a 1/4 cup for a serving! 

4.  V8 fuision juice.  One serving (8 oz) counts as both a serving of fruit and vegetables.  This juice, however, can be kind of pricey.  (which I know doesn't exactly match the goal).  But, if you just drink a serving whenever you didn't incorporate other forms into your day, this can be a great source for you.

With a lot of fruits and veggies, it can seem (and it is) sometimes expensive to buy enough for three or four servings a day.  Think of it though as an investment.  Not only are you investing in your health, but eating fruits and veggies fill you up more than some of the cheaper food, meaning you could eat twice as much of something less healthy, costing the same or more.  Start small, and try and build up to it.

The CDC has more tips that this.  Check them out! 

The name of this blog was inspired mostly by the "five a day".  It is an excellent campaign, but it can be very daunting.  A pomegranate to me was something good, but so unpractical.  Especially not in season, they can be expensive.  But I love most things pomegranate.  So the goal is to try and get us to the five a day, if not even four or three.  Everything counts!

Just make sure you find low sugar/sugar free/low syrupy fruit and veggies!

the basics: the usda food guide

 The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides a food group plan: the food guide.  It gives the servings (or equivalents) for each of the categories.  Also, something to think about is high vs. low nutrient density food.  We can eat food that is technically good for us, sure, but it has low nutrient value, which means we'll be hungry an hour or two later...which adds up the calories.  The red foods we should choose less often than the green.

Here is a summary of their table:

fruits:  consume a variety and no more than 1/3 of recommended intake as juice

1/2 c. fruit is equivalent to: 1/2 cup fresh, frozen or canned fruit; 1 medium fruit; 1/4 cup dried fruit; 1/2 cup fruit juice

apples, apricots, avacodos, bananas, blueberries, cantaloupe, grapefruit, grapes, guava, kiwi, mango, oranges, papya, peaches, pears, pineapples, plums, raspberries, strawberries, watermelon; dried fruit; unsweetened juice

canned or frozen fruit in syrup; juices, punches, ades, and fruit drinks with added sugars; friend plantains. 

vegetables: choose variety each day and all five subgroups several times a week

1/2 c. vegetables is equivalent to: 1/2 cup cut-up raw or cookies vegetables; 1/2 cup cooked legumes; 1/2 c vegetable juice; 1 c. raw, leafy greans

1. dark green: broccoli, leafy: romaine, spinach, etc

2. orange and deep yellow: carrots, carrot juice, pumpkin, sweet potatoes and winter squash

3. legumes: black beans, chickpeas, kidney beans, letils, pinto beans, soybeans, soy products and split peas

4. starchy vegetables: corn, green peas, potatoes

5. other: artichokes, asparagus, beets, cabbages, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, eggplant, greenb eans, iceburg lettuce, mushrooms, onions, peppers, zucchini, tomatoes


baked beans, candied sweet potatoes, french fries, potato salad, refried beans, coleslaw, scalloped potatoes



grains: make at least half grain selections whole grains

1 ounce grains in equivalent to: 1 slice bread; 1/2 cup cooked rice, pasta or cereal; 1 oz dry pasta or rice; 1 c ready-to-eat cereal

whole grains (barley, brown rice, oats, rye, wheat), whole-grains, low-fat breads, cereals, crackers, pastas, enriched bagels, breads, cereals, pastas, rice, rolls, tortillas

biscuits, cakes, cookies, cornbread, crackers, croissants, doughnuts, french toast, fried rice, granola, muffins, pancakes, pastries, pies, presweetened cereals, taco shells, waffles

meat, poultry, fish, dried peas and beans, eggs and nuts: make lean or low-fat choices

1 oz meat is equivalent to: 1 oz cooked lean meant, poultry or fish; 1 egg; 1/4 cookies legumes or tofu; 1 tbs peanut butter; 1/2 oz nuts or seeds

poultry (no skin), fish, shellfish, legumes, eggs, lean meat; low-fat tofu, peanut butter, nuts or seeds

bacon; bakes beans; fried meat, fish, poultry, eggs or tofu; refired beans; ground beef; hot dogs; luncheon meats; marbled steaks; poultry with skin; sausages; spare ribs

milk, yogurt and cheese: make fat-free or low-fat choices

1 c milk is equivalent to: 1 cup fat-free milk or yogurt; 1.5 oz fat-free natural cheese; 2 oz fat-free processed cheese

fat-free milk and fat-free milk products
     
not fat-free products; milk products with added sugars such as chocolate milk, custard, ice cream, frozen yogurt etc.  

oils: select recommended amounts from among these sources

1 tsp oil is equivalent to: 1 tbs low-fat mayonnaise; 2 tbs light salad dressing; 1 tsp vegetable oil; 1 tsp soft margarine

liquid vegetabls oils such as canola, corn, flaxseed, nut, olive, peanut, safflower, sesame, soybean, and sunflower oils; mayonnaise, oil-based salad dressings, soft trans-free margarine

unsaturated oils that occur naturally in foods such as avacados, fatty fish, nuts, olives and shellfish  

hopefully this will provide some basic nutrition information that you can keep in mind when you're preparing food/buying food.  If you go to Mypyramid, you can create a custom pyramid for your age, weight, situation (pregnant, nursing, etc) and it can be helpful when you're planning meals.  The website has many other resources you can use.