How Many Fruits + Veggies Should We Eat Daily?

We know fruits + veggies are good for us, but just how many servings should be on our plates each day? To find out, we got the 411 from the experts. Read on to hear them give it to us straight and spell out exactly why fruits + veggies are so critical for health and longevity.

Experts agree that 5 cups of fruits + veggies per day is the ideal amount to aim for. Yes, everyone has individual nutrition needs, but research points to about 5 cups daily as the magic number for optimal physical and mental health. Let’s take a look:

In one study, people who ate about 5 cups of fruits and vegetables a day had 31% lower risk of dying early.
Another study found eating 2 servings of fruit and 3 servings of vegetables every day is associated with the lowest risk of mortality.
Other research shows eating 5 portions of fruits + vegetables a day may be beneficial for mental health.

Why Are Fruits + Vegetables Good For Us?

In general, fruits + veggies are a major source of dietary fiber—that oh-so-important nutrient needed for good digestion, maintaining gut health, and keeping blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol in check. Fruits + vegetables also tend to have high water content, meaning they keep us hydrated and contribute to our daily water intake.

There are also essential vitamins and minerals found in most fruits + vegetables. Like vitamin C, an antioxidant-rich nutrient that supports our immune system. Many fruits + veggies also give us vitamin A (for eye health), vitamin K (for bone health), and potassium (a mineral that supports the heart).

Fruits + vegetables also contain phytochemicals, unique plant compounds shown to benefit overall health. There are thousands of different phytochemicals, all of which play complex and different roles in our bodies, but here’s the gist: most phytochemicals act as antioxidants and help protect our cells from damage, thus lowering our risk of chronic disease. Um, yeah—sign us up for that, please.

What Defines a Cup, a Serving, and a Portion?

Sometimes we read 5 cups, other times it’s 5 servings. In research-ese they speak in terms of grams (eek!).

We took a crack at leveling out the language. Because, like, it’s confusing and it varies. If you live for details, check out USDA FoodData Central. For the rest of us, here’s a rundown of what counts as an average serving of fruits + veggies…

One medium piece of fruit (think: an apple, banana, pear, or orange).
Two pieces of small fruit (such as clementines, kiwis, or plums).
One cup of fruit (we’re talking berries, grapes, cut up pineapple, mango, or papaya).
One cup of fruits + vegetables in a smoothie (a Daily Harvest Smoothie makes about 2 cups).
One cup of raw or cooked vegetables (for example: broccoli, cauliflower, or butternut squash).
About 3 cups of raw leafy greens (picture spinach, lettuce, collards, or kale).
About half a cup of cooked leafy greens (‘cause these veggies shrink up a lot).

Easy Ways to Add More Fruits + Vegetables to Your Day

The simplest way to ensure you’re getting 5 cups of fruits + vegetables a day is to eat them with every single meal and snack.

At breakfast, put fresh or frozen fruit on yogurt or oatmeal, toss fruits and veggies into a smoothie, or make a veggie scramble. Lunch is the perfect time for a veggie packed salad, a hearty vegetable soup, or a Harvest Bowl from Daily Harvest. At dinner, serve up a side of roasted veggies, make a big communal salad, load a stew or stir-fry with some veggies. As for snacks, fruit and nut butter, veggies and dip, and Daily Harvest Breakfast Bowls are tasty go-to options.

The main take away? When you’re eating fruits + veggies throughout the day, the servings add up in no time.

Hot tip: as you’re upping your fruit + veggie game, mix it up. Different colors equal different nutrients, so eat the rainbow and include a wide variety of fruits + vegetables in your diet each day.

Extra hot tip: rotate different types of the same fruit or vegetable in your meals. For example: try acorn, kabocha, delicata, and butternut squash when they’re in season.

Now, go do the dang thing! And if you need a little help, you know where to find us.

Stock up on our deliciously nourishing bestsellers at daily-harvest.com. We take care of food so food can take care of you.

Important Notes: Unless otherwise noted, nutrition information is sourced from USDA FoodData Central and reflects the reference amount customarily consumed. These are standardized servings and not necessarily the amount present in the highlighted Daily Harvest recipes. Nutrition information for Daily Harvest products can be found on packages and under "Nutrition Facts" for each product at "dailyharvest.com". Vitamin and mineral functions are sourced from Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center.

Carolina Schneider, MS RD

Nutritionist

Carolina Schneider, MS, RD is a Registered Dietitian and founder of Hungry for Plants. She specializes in plant-based nutrition and has followed a whole-food, vegan diet for nearly a decade. With a background in journalism, marketing and public relations, Carolina is adept in creating nutrition content for health and wellness companies that prioritizes the brand’s positioning to consumers. Her experience, combined with her passion and knowledge, equip her to help companies successfully communicate the nutritional benefits of their products to consumers. Originally from Brazil, Carolina is fluent in Portuguese, English and Spanish. Carolina received two degrees in Journalism and Public Relations, which have given her the tools to become a writer and excellent communicator. Additionally, Carolina has years of professional experience in marketing, specifically in the food industry, giving her the knowledge to help brands best position their products to reach new customers and improve brand loyalty. Carolina obtained her Master of Science degree in Nutrition & Dietetics, and is passionate about nutrition science and helping individuals improve health and wellbeing through food.