Current dietary recommendations in US for intake of fruits and vegetables (not fruit juices and potatoes) is about 5 servings of fruit and and 5 servings of vegetables per day. I've seen a slightly lower and much higher recommendations from other countries, institutions, or scientists. The average intake for both combined in the United States is only two.
Serving Examples
Five Servings of Fruit
- 5 apples or pears, 5 oranges or bananas, 5 peach or nectarines,
- 3 mangoes, 3 zucchinis, or 2-3 avocados,
- about 70 grapes, 20-40 strawberries,
- half a melon or cantaloupe.
Five Servings of Vegetables
- a bowl of greens (like arugula, kale, spinach, etc.)
- a head of broccoli or cauliflower,
- 30 small carrots.
In a study, people who had five servings of fruits or vegetables each day had:
- a 13% lower risk of death from all causes,
- a 12% lower risk of death from heart disease and stroke,
- a 10% lower risk of death from cancer,
- a 35% lower risk of death from respiratory disease.
