Fruits: Portion Sizes.

Ever wonder exactly how much fruit you should be eating a day? Or maybe how much fruit you CAN eat in a day? Fruits and veggies are certainly more than half of my diet. I am not a savory kind of girl, so I do eat a lot of fruit. I also am not a big fan of heavy carbs, like potatoes or bread. So fruit and veggies are my go to. The good thing is, fruit also has many benefits, including helping you fight off diseases (because we don’t need any more!) like heart disease, stroke, and cancer.

For starters, there are many different fruits that have many different benefits. Generally, fruits contain a lot of fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and antioxidants. With a diet high in antioxidants, your body will have the strength to fight off many diseases. So it is important to eat an array of fruits and veggies.

Certain fruits like apples, oranges, and grapefruits fill your stomach and contribute to weight loss. But fruit drinks, even if made from 100% fruit juice, often contribute to weight gain, because you can easily over-consume them.

So how much fruit should we really eat?

Fruit is safe to eat any amount. Unless you follow a low carb or ketogenic diet, “too much” fruit does not exist. The general recommendation, however, is at least 400 mg a day. In other words, five servings of fruits AND veggies a day. Keep in mind that I said fruits and veggies. That meaning, you should consume between two to five servings of fruit (can be measured as 2-5 tennis balls).

The Rundown:

Eating fruit contributes to many health benefits, and can lower the risk of many diseases. By eating 2-5 servings, you consume the recommended portion size. However, there is no effect when eating more than that.

Tips when eating fruit:

Fruit juice does not count as fruit.
An apple, banana, grapefruit, nectarine all equate to one cup.
When you eat dried fruit, cut the portion size in half.