The Fruit Group

As I said in the beginning of my blog, I would talk about each of the food groups. So I wanted to start with my favorite, which is the fruit group. I really love fruit! All my information that I have gathered for each food group was from the government website: Choose My Plate.

Any fruit or 100% fruit juice counts as part of the Fruit Group. Fruits may be fresh, canned, frozen, or dried, and may be whole, cut-up, or pureed. We know what fruits are, but did you know that most of the veggies we eat are considered fruits? Yes, anything that was a seed in it is considered a fruit! Pumpkins, cucumbers, tomatoes, squash, and etc., are all fruit. This website provides a chart to show you how much you need fruit you need daily. According to the chart, women age 19-30 need two cups each day. Men also need two cups a day from men age 19-30. There is also a chart that tells what is considered a cup of fruit. For some fruit it is really easy to tell how much a cup is because you can cut it up and measure it with measuring cups. For some fruit that isn’t as easy. For example a large (8" to 9" long) banana is considered a cup. One large small wedge (1" thick) of watermelon is one cup of fruit.

There are many health benefits and nutrients that come from fruit. Most fruits are naturally low in fat, sodium, and calories. Fruits are sources of many essential nutrients that are underconsumed, including potassium, dietary fiber, vitamin C, and folate. Fruit sources of potassium include bananas, prunes and prune juice, dried peaches and apricots, and orange juice help to maintain healthy blood pressure. Dietary fiber from fruits help reduce blood cholesterol levels and may lower risk of heart disease. It helps reduce constipation. Fiber-containing foods such as fruits help provide a feeling of fullness with fewer calories. Whole or cut-up fruits are sources of dietary fiber, but fruit juices contain little or no fiber.  Fruit are so important to health and nutrition!

The website also provides tips to help people eat fruit. Making smoothies with real fruit and fruit juices are a great way to get fruit. At breakfast, top your cereal and pancakes with fruit. Drink hundred percent fruit juices. Mix fresh fruit with plain fat-free or low-fat yogurt and dried fruits can make a great snack. They are easy to carry and store well. I really encourage you to check it out if you have problems getting your daily fruit.