Fruits, like vegetables, are nutrient-dense foods meaning they contain a lot of vitamins and minerals. The health benefits of regularly consuming fruit include a reduced risk of developing heart disease, certain types of cancers, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. Fruit 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 recommended amount of fruit for an average adult is around 2 servings per day. Here are examples of what 1 serving of fruit may look like:
- 1/2 large apple or 1 small apple
- 1 cup applesauce
- 1 large banana
- 1 cup of grapes or 32 seedless grapes
- 1 medium grapefruit
- 1 large orange or 1 cup of orange sections
- 1 large peach
- 1 medium pear
- 1 small wedge (1” thick) of watermelon
- 1/2 cup of dried fruit
- 1 cup of 100% fruit juice
Here are some visuals for determining the number of servings of fruit:
Image of a woman's fist |
1 medium apple or orange = average women's fist (1 serving)
Image of a light bulb |
1/2 cup of chopped, cooked, canned or dried fruit = regular light bulb (1 serving)