Vegetables are nutrient-dense foods meaning they contain a lot of vitamins and minerals. The health benefits of regularly consuming vegetables include a reduced risk of developing heart disease, certain types of cancers, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. Vegetables are great for weight loss and weight management because they are low in calories but high in dietary fiber which can help keep a person full.
The vegetable group recommendations are around 3 servings for the average adult. Here are examples of what 1 serving of vegetables look like:
- 2 cups of raw vegetables
- 1 cup cooked vegetables
- 2 medium carrots
- 1 large raw tomato
- 1 large bell pepper
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 baked potato
- 1 cup beans or peas
- 1 large ear of corn
- 2 large celery stalks
Here are some visuals for determining the number of servings of vegetables:
Image of 4 lettuce leaves |
1 cup of raw leafy vegetables = 4 lettuce leaves (1 serving)
Image of a light bulb |
1/2 cup of other vegetables, cooked or chopped raw = regular light bulb (1 serving)
Image of a tennis ball |
1 cup of cooked vegetables = size of tennis ball (1 serving)