What is a Serving of Fruits & Vegetables?

Below servings of fruits and vegetables are the current serving sizes of the new MyPyramid.

• One medium-size piece of fruit
• ¼ cup dried fruit
• 1 cup (8 oz) of 100% fruit or vegetable juice
• 1 cup of raw vegetables
• ½ cup cooked or canned vegetables or fruit
• 2 cups of raw leafy vegetables
• ½ cup cooked dry peas or beans

Health Benefits of Fruits and Vegetables

What are phytochemicals (or phytonutrients)? Phytochemicals are compounds found in plants that help protect plants from bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Eating large amounts of every color of fruits and vegetables (yellow, orange, red, green, white, blue, purple), whole grains/cereals, and beans may decrease the risk of developing certain cancers as well as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. The action of phytochemicals varies by color and type of the food. They may act as antioxidants.

What are antioxidants? Antioxidants are substances that protect the cells from damage that can be caused by oxygen (anti=against; oxidant=oxygen). It may seem odd that oxygen which is essential for life could hurt us. But, when your body burns calories it also creates something called free radicals. These are single oxygen molecules that zing around the body attacking healthy cells. Free radicals can damage the cell’s DNA and may allow tumors to grow. Research is underway to investigate the role of antioxidants in decreasing the risk of developing cancer.

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