So, how many of you get 9 servings of fruit and vegetables a day?
Replies
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lemurcat12 wrote: »Alatariel75 wrote: »I don't really count the serves, but I eat at least a kilo of veg a day. No fruit though. Fruit is icky.
I like fruit (well, most fruit, some more than others), but I dislike how these kinds of things lump fruit and veg, probably because it's seen as easier to convince people to increase fruit than veg. I think vegetables are pretty crucial absent rare health issues. I think fruit is pretty optional and without my low carb thing I still probably wouldn't aim for more than 1-3 servings per day, with more like 8 or so veg (although I also don't count servings unless these kinds of things come up, I focus more on making veg a significant part of every meal).
Yeah, I think 3 fruits a day is probably in the upper range of what I eat because fruit just isnt that filling nor are the most common fruits as nutrient dense as veg ( still better than most snacks though !) Berries are probably best but they're expensive unless bought frozen. I think vegetables should be the emphasis for sure but for people eating the SAD, even just eating more fruit and less of whatever else is probably a good place to start. Some people just frankly refuse to eat veg haha2 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »crazyycatladyy1 wrote: »Price is a factor too frankly. Fresh veggies cost an arm and a leg. I do buy frozen, but really, it's just not that tasty to me (unless it's the kind that comes seasoned with 100 extra calories lol).
That's probably been the most challenging part of this for me-fitting in the additional produce on a small grocery budget, ($100 a week for a family of 5).
Honestly I had forgotten how expensive fresh produce has become in the states and canada. It used to be the least expensive food snd cheaper than more processed foods.
I find it's pretty cheap if you eat in season. I'm in a much colder climate than you (so is crazyycatladyy1), so mostly what's in season here now is still greens and asparagus and leeks and spring onions and some cold weather veg like root veg. I'm eating lots of those (also the standards which are usually pretty cheap for me, like broccoli, brussels sprouts, green beans).
This is key -- I've found that by focusing on seasonal (and non-trendy) produce, I'm able to eat a lot without a hit to my budget. I also supplement with a fair amount of frozen stuff for recipes where I find it doesn't make much of a difference (frozen fruit for smoothies, frozen spinach and broccoli for soups, etc).6 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »lemurcat12 wrote: »Traditionally I have been, often more. I'm trying to super low carb currently, so probably am more like 8 or so on average (no fruit, slightly smaller servings), and I actually feel a little better about it now, I think because my nature is to overdo and be obsessive so I was eating more volume-wise that I really wanted with the idea that more is always better and that I was a volume eater. (I currently feel much more satisfied with smaller volume, although not small, so I think I might have overestimated what a volume eater I was.) Whenever I start getting compulsive about a food thing I like to check myself.
I'm also really focusing on seasonal vegetables and fruits (although I eat a wider variety of vegetables), so that is one reason I'm good with less fruit now (nothing is in season). I'm sure that will change as the year goes on.
Here its strawberry season!
Probably not for another couple of weeks here.
Something sweet to look forward to then.
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Pretty sure I do get at least 7-10 servings per day. I eat a ton of veggies and 1-2 servings of fruit per day and at least one really big salad. Since my body is quite used to that, I don't get bloating or gas at all. However, the rare day when I don't get the usual it can slow down elimination a bit (sorry if TMI).
I have a small garden, but I pack it full of things during growing season and then can or freeze what we don't eat up or give away. It's been cold and rainy this spring, so everything is late. My berries have blossoms but no fruit, so I can't wait to have some fresh ones right from the garden. For those of you without space for a garden, there are lots of things you can grow in containers. I also grow tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers in pots on my deck. There's a variety of tomato called "patio" that is perfect for small space gardening. Salad greens, cilantro, parsley, arugula (rocket) all do well in containers. The biggest challenge is keeping the deer from enjoying it all before I do!0 -
According to serving sizes, I am a family of four, and get more like 40.6
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Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Some days I do and some days I don't. I probably average about 6 I'd guess (just a guess, I don't track that sort of thing).
We have a farm with lots of fruit trees/bushes and a huge garden, so during the growing/harvest season we eat a LOT of veggies. During the off season when most vegetables are canned or from the root cellar, I eat less.
Oh that just sounds a sort of paradise there! And from my experience, I know the hard work that goes along with it. You must be a healthy person. I'm watching the figs and fruit growing here daily. Vegetable feeds are fun. I always liked the corn fests, and the watermelon fests.
It is a lot of work, but for me it's a labor of love. I really love gardening and yes, I rarely have to 'exercise' except in winter (hence my username). I have to remember to purposely exercise in the off season because I can't (don't, won't, whatever) eat less.2 -
Re: the price of produce, I discovered there are several discount groceries not too far away from me. One place has wonderful fresh produce for a fraction of the price of the chain grocery stores. I've gotten entire bags of apples, sweet peppers, and tomatoes for 99 cents. Beets 4/$1, broccoli crowns 2/$1. I "googled" discount groceries near me and found a couple more!
We also have a lot of farmer's markets in the spring and summer. You can't get any fresher, but their prices are higher.3 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »crazyycatladyy1 wrote: »Price is a factor too frankly. Fresh veggies cost an arm and a leg. I do buy frozen, but really, it's just not that tasty to me (unless it's the kind that comes seasoned with 100 extra calories lol).
That's probably been the most challenging part of this for me-fitting in the additional produce on a small grocery budget, ($100 a week for a family of 5).
Honestly I had forgotten how expensive fresh produce has become in the states and canada. It used to be the least expensive food snd cheaper than more processed foods.
I find it's pretty cheap if you eat in season. I'm in a much colder climate than you (so is crazyycatladyy1), so mostly what's in season here now is still greens and asparagus and leeks and spring onions and some cold weather veg like root veg. I'm eating lots of those (also the standards which are usually pretty cheap for me, like broccoli, brussels sprouts, green beans).
I'm jealous! Brussel sprouts here are always at least $3 a lb. And they aren't a light vegetable. Brussels are without a doubt our biggest store bought vegetable expense because it's one that we eat year round and we don't like frozen.1 -
I eat 6-8 unless you count things like legumes, lentils, potatoes, etc...then it's more.2
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RedheadedPrincess14 wrote: »lemurcat12 wrote: »Alatariel75 wrote: »I don't really count the serves, but I eat at least a kilo of veg a day. No fruit though. Fruit is icky.
I like fruit (well, most fruit, some more than others), but I dislike how these kinds of things lump fruit and veg, probably because it's seen as easier to convince people to increase fruit than veg. I think vegetables are pretty crucial absent rare health issues. I think fruit is pretty optional and without my low carb thing I still probably wouldn't aim for more than 1-3 servings per day, with more like 8 or so veg (although I also don't count servings unless these kinds of things come up, I focus more on making veg a significant part of every meal).
Yeah, I think 3 fruits a day is probably in the upper range of what I eat because fruit just isnt that filling nor are the most common fruits as nutrient dense as veg ( still better than most snacks though !) Berries are probably best but they're expensive unless bought frozen. I think vegetables should be the emphasis for sure but for people eating the SAD, even just eating more fruit and less of whatever else is probably a good place to start. Some people just frankly refuse to eat veg haha
I know the blueberries can be so dear, but worth it on occasion.
So true, SAD is bad. It can be hard to eat fruit along with the SAD for some reason. I always found pastries made fruit seem dull. I pretty much see things exactly contrary to that these days. Fruit's fresh sweet colorful light and cool. I don't like to think of high fat content food and hot summers in the same sentence.
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lemurcat12 wrote: »lemurcat12 wrote: »Traditionally I have been, often more. I'm trying to super low carb currently, so probably am more like 8 or so on average (no fruit, slightly smaller servings), and I actually feel a little better about it now, I think because my nature is to overdo and be obsessive so I was eating more volume-wise that I really wanted with the idea that more is always better and that I was a volume eater. (I currently feel much more satisfied with smaller volume, although not small, so I think I might have overestimated what a volume eater I was.) Whenever I start getting compulsive about a food thing I like to check myself.
I'm also really focusing on seasonal vegetables and fruits (although I eat a wider variety of vegetables), so that is one reason I'm good with less fruit now (nothing is in season). I'm sure that will change as the year goes on.
Here its strawberry season!
Probably not for another couple of weeks here.
Something sweet to look forward to then.
Yeah, I always get excited about the first strawberries of the season.2 -
DJ_Skywalker wrote: »Does wine count as fruit?
According to the UK standards, you can count one 5-oz juice or smoothie as one serving--so heck yeah!
(I do allow an occasional serving of jacket-on potatoes to count as well, which is against the UK standards, but then I am not taking advantage of the full-on UK allowance for corn...till sweet-corn season hits in Indiana, that is!)
I've been trying to get 8-10 servings a day since the challenge a few of us did back in March. Some days are better than others, but it definitely made a profound difference in my satiety. It's an outstanding benchmark to aspire to. For those with digestive troubles, there does tend to be a sorting-out period to find what you can best tolerate, and to allow your body to adapt.
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janejellyroll wrote: »lemurcat12 wrote: »crazyycatladyy1 wrote: »Price is a factor too frankly. Fresh veggies cost an arm and a leg. I do buy frozen, but really, it's just not that tasty to me (unless it's the kind that comes seasoned with 100 extra calories lol).
That's probably been the most challenging part of this for me-fitting in the additional produce on a small grocery budget, ($100 a week for a family of 5).
Honestly I had forgotten how expensive fresh produce has become in the states and canada. It used to be the least expensive food snd cheaper than more processed foods.
I find it's pretty cheap if you eat in season. I'm in a much colder climate than you (so is crazyycatladyy1), so mostly what's in season here now is still greens and asparagus and leeks and spring onions and some cold weather veg like root veg. I'm eating lots of those (also the standards which are usually pretty cheap for me, like broccoli, brussels sprouts, green beans).
This is key -- I've found that by focusing on seasonal (and non-trendy) produce, I'm able to eat a lot without a hit to my budget. I also supplement with a fair amount of frozen stuff for recipes where I find it doesn't make much of a difference (frozen fruit for smoothies, frozen spinach and broccoli for soups, etc).
VERY key!
Mostly I have been able to find locally grown or short shipped food since we have lived in Europe. There has been an inroad of the large supermarket chains but there are still some fruit and vegetable shops, that just sell fresh produce. There are open markets weekly where local farmers peddle their home grown. Its worth the extra washing and food prep to get those local fresh foods. This week we even purchased home made cheese.
I think frozen peas, fruit etc. has been shown to be of sometimes higher quality thanwhat has sat in trucks and on shelves too long, as usually the fresh foods are frozen quickly after harvesting. So frozen is my second choice after ripe local produce.
I pine for new veg during the wet winters of broccoli, roots and cabbage myself. Potatoes are the thing that get me through in one piece.
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totally agree! I like fiber rich, low cal density/high volume food instead of fatty calorie dense food that leaves me feelings soooo heavy. But I know for some people, they do experience bloating when they first start eating fiber but for me, it keeps my tummy flatRedheadedPrincess14 wrote: »lemurcat12 wrote: »Alatariel75 wrote: »I don't really count the serves, but I eat at least a kilo of veg a day. No fruit though. Fruit is icky.
I like fruit (well, most fruit, some more than others), but I dislike how these kinds of things lump fruit and veg, probably because it's seen as easier to convince people to increase fruit than veg. I think vegetables are pretty crucial absent rare health issues. I think fruit is pretty optional and without my low carb thing I still probably wouldn't aim for more than 1-3 servings per day, with more like 8 or so veg (although I also don't count servings unless these kinds of things come up, I focus more on making veg a significant part of every meal).
Yeah, I think 3 fruits a day is probably in the upper range of what I eat because fruit just isnt that filling nor are the most common fruits as nutrient dense as veg ( still better than most snacks though !) Berries are probably best but they're expensive unless bought frozen. I think vegetables should be the emphasis for sure but for people eating the SAD, even just eating more fruit and less of whatever else is probably a good place to start. Some people just frankly refuse to eat veg haha
I know the blueberries can be so dear, but worth it on occasion.
So true, SAD is bad. It can be hard to eat fruit along with the SAD for some reason. I always found pastries made fruit seem dull. I pretty much see things exactly contrary to that these days. Fruit's fresh sweet colorful light and cool. I don't like to think of high fat content food and hot summers in the same sentence.
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RedheadedPrincess14 wrote: »
totally agree! I like fiber rich, low cal density/high volume food instead of fatty calorie dense food that leaves me feelings soooo heavy. But I know for some people, they do experience bloating when they first start eating fiber but for me, it keeps my tummy flatRedheadedPrincess14 wrote: »lemurcat12 wrote: »Alatariel75 wrote: »I don't really count the serves, but I eat at least a kilo of veg a day. No fruit though. Fruit is icky.
I like fruit (well, most fruit, some more than others), but I dislike how these kinds of things lump fruit and veg, probably because it's seen as easier to convince people to increase fruit than veg. I think vegetables are pretty crucial absent rare health issues. I think fruit is pretty optional and without my low carb thing I still probably wouldn't aim for more than 1-3 servings per day, with more like 8 or so veg (although I also don't count servings unless these kinds of things come up, I focus more on making veg a significant part of every meal).
Yeah, I think 3 fruits a day is probably in the upper range of what I eat because fruit just isnt that filling nor are the most common fruits as nutrient dense as veg ( still better than most snacks though !) Berries are probably best but they're expensive unless bought frozen. I think vegetables should be the emphasis for sure but for people eating the SAD, even just eating more fruit and less of whatever else is probably a good place to start. Some people just frankly refuse to eat veg haha
I know the blueberries can be so dear, but worth it on occasion.
So true, SAD is bad. It can be hard to eat fruit along with the SAD for some reason. I always found pastries made fruit seem dull. I pretty much see things exactly contrary to that these days. Fruit's fresh sweet colorful light and cool. I don't like to think of high fat content food and hot summers in the same sentence.
Its nice to find something that sits right isn't it.
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lemurcat12 wrote: »crazyycatladyy1 wrote: »Price is a factor too frankly. Fresh veggies cost an arm and a leg. I do buy frozen, but really, it's just not that tasty to me (unless it's the kind that comes seasoned with 100 extra calories lol).
That's probably been the most challenging part of this for me-fitting in the additional produce on a small grocery budget, ($100 a week for a family of 5).
Honestly I had forgotten how expensive fresh produce has become in the states and canada. It used to be the least expensive food snd cheaper than more processed foods.
I find it's pretty cheap if you eat in season. I'm in a much colder climate than you (so is crazyycatladyy1), so mostly what's in season here now is still greens and asparagus and leeks and spring onions and some cold weather veg like root veg. I'm eating lots of those (also the standards which are usually pretty cheap for me, like broccoli, brussels sprouts, green beans).
Yep, asparagus season is just starting here so it's pretty cheap and will get even cheaper over the next couple weeks.1 -
RaeBeeBaby wrote: »Re: the price of produce, I discovered there are several discount groceries not too far away from me. One place has wonderful fresh produce for a fraction of the price of the chain grocery stores. I've gotten entire bags of apples, sweet peppers, and tomatoes for 99 cents. Beets 4/$1, broccoli crowns 2/$1. I "googled" discount groceries near me and found a couple more!
We also have a lot of farmer's markets in the spring and summer. You can't get any fresher, but their prices are higher.
I recently found a store like this, a ways out from me but doable once a month or so. Unfortunately what I spend there for local gourmet coffee wipes out the savings of the cheap produce
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Depends on the week.
On the low end, I'm probably in the 5-6 serving ballpark. I usually have 2-3 servings with lunch and dinner, but breakfast is a latte and late night snacks are rarely fruit or veg unless I'm having a small slice of fruit pie
This week I'm probably higher than 10 servings. Lunch has been a large salad - at least 4-5 servings there. I've had typical dinners for me so another couple servings, and snacks have mostly been avocado or dried fruit or fresh fruit.1 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »I eat 6-8 unless you count things like legumes, lentils, potatoes, etc...then it's more.
So that's interesting. Are the lentils, legumes, various potatoes part of the 9 count?
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cwolfman13 wrote: »I eat 6-8 unless you count things like legumes, lentils, potatoes, etc...then it's more.
So that's interesting. Are the lentils, legumes, various potatoes part of the 9 count?
IDK...they grow and they're pretty nutritionally awesome. I eat either beans or lentils at some point most every day and potato varieties a 2-3 times per week.1 -
Could probably google it, but what counts as a serving?
I'll have an apple, banana, 85g (cup) of snap peas and 85g (cup) of baby carrots every lunch. I'm thinking that counts as 6 servings, but am not sure.
All I know is it's a lot more than I would have 9 months ago.1 -
I do. Learning how to cook vegetables was a key to eating better, for me.0
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I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, but I have no idea how many servings I get because serving sizes are so vague. However, I recently took a weekend trip to visit my mother, who always has plenty of fruits and vegetables on hand, but the way the weekend worked out, I actually ended up eating very little of them. When I returned home, I was craving them so much that I ended up just sauteing a whole big batch of assorted vegetables and eating that for dinner on top of some grits. It had never dawned on me until then just how big of a part they play in my diet.1
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This article has the info you need, I think. It's aimed at helping people eat at least 5 servings, but 9 or more is better.Tacklewasher wrote: »Could probably google it, but what counts as a serving?
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/5ADAY/Pages/Whatcounts.aspx
According to the article I linked, you can count up to 80g per day of beans and other legumes/pulses. But not potatoes - for their purposes, anyway.cwolfman13 wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »I eat 6-8 unless you count things like legumes, lentils, potatoes, etc...then it's more.
So that's interesting. Are the lentils, legumes, various potatoes part of the 9 count?
IDK...they grow and they're pretty nutritionally awesome. I eat either beans or lentils at some point most every day and potato varieties a 2-3 times per week.
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Tacklewasher wrote: »Could probably google it, but what counts as a serving?
I'll have an apple, banana, 85g (cup) of snap peas and 85g (cup) of baby carrots every lunch. I'm thinking that counts as 6 servings, but am not sure.
All I know is it's a lot more than I would have 9 months ago.
That's 4. It's still not bad!0 -
This article has the info you need, I think. It's aimed at helping people eat at least 5 servings, but 9 or more is better.Tacklewasher wrote: »Could probably google it, but what counts as a serving?
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/5ADAY/Pages/Whatcounts.aspx
According to the article I linked, you can count up to 80g per day of beans and other legumes/pulses. But not potatoes - for their purposes, anyway.cwolfman13 wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »I eat 6-8 unless you count things like legumes, lentils, potatoes, etc...then it's more.
So that's interesting. Are the lentils, legumes, various potatoes part of the 9 count?
IDK...they grow and they're pretty nutritionally awesome. I eat either beans or lentils at some point most every day and potato varieties a 2-3 times per week.
Yep, they count as one serving (80 g or 1/2 cup). Regarding potatoes, the UK justification was that too many people are shoveling in the french fries, but that seems overeactionary, throwing the baby out with the bath water.
Also, dried fruits and veg like raisins are one serving per 1 ounce (it doesn't address much lighter freeze dried so I go by what is on the packaging). For me it was easiest to fit in 10+ servings a day when I had a balance: 1 juice, 1 legume, maybe a couple of dried veg, soup or salsa, and raw and cooked veg.1 -
This article has the info you need, I think. It's aimed at helping people eat at least 5 servings, but 9 or more is better.Tacklewasher wrote: »Could probably google it, but what counts as a serving?
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/5ADAY/Pages/Whatcounts.aspx
According to the article I linked, you can count up to 80g per day of beans and other legumes/pulses. But not potatoes - for their purposes, anyway.cwolfman13 wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »I eat 6-8 unless you count things like legumes, lentils, potatoes, etc...then it's more.
So that's interesting. Are the lentils, legumes, various potatoes part of the 9 count?
IDK...they grow and they're pretty nutritionally awesome. I eat either beans or lentils at some point most every day and potato varieties a 2-3 times per week.
That's odd...potato varieties are a root vegetable and a nutritional powerhouses...I'm counting them.4 -
lunchmuffin wrote: »crazyycatladyy1 wrote: »Price is a factor too frankly. Fresh veggies cost an arm and a leg. I do buy frozen, but really, it's just not that tasty to me (unless it's the kind that comes seasoned with 100 extra calories lol).
That's probably been the most challenging part of this for me-fitting in the additional produce on a small grocery budget, ($100 a week for a family of 5).
My grocery bill has actually gone down. There is a picture on my profile of last week's haul. That whole pile cost me ~ $30. My beans and rice mix makes ten servings and it is insanely cheap and very satisfying.
Same here. Frozen & canned veggies work just fine in rice & beans and in soup. And root vegetables (for soup) are cheap (at least here in northern climates).3 -
Tacklewasher wrote: »Could probably google it, but what counts as a serving?
I'll have an apple, banana, 85g (cup) of snap peas and 85g (cup) of baby carrots every lunch. I'm thinking that counts as 6 servings, but am not sure.
All I know is it's a lot more than I would have 9 months ago.
I think the OP was about the BK recommendation but in the US 1/2 cup of most vegetables, raw or cooked (including beans) counts as a serving. The exception is leafy greens, those are 1 cup raw or 1/2 cup cooked. So, depending on the size of your apple and banana, those are likely 1.5 - 2 servings.1 -
I don't know how many "servings" I get. I track the Fiber macro and make sure I'm hitting it.1
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