How Many Fruits and Veggies Do You Really Need?

Written by: Emily Thrives

“Emily, eat your veggies!” My mom’s words still bounce around my brain as I cook! I like to think that I try to eat healthy, but honestly, who actually knows? We’re constantly hearing contradicting information about what is a healthy diet. It can get a little frustrating, but I’m here to share with you some fruit and veggie knowledge to help ease your mind.

So let’s talk about veggies—are you getting enough? Though we may make an effort to munch on some carrots here and there, 90% of North Americans don’t eat enough veggies. This is similar with fruit: only 1 out of 10 North Americans eat the recommended daily amount of fruit. Although, I can’t tell you how many times a neighborhood mom has warned me against eating too much fruit! In reality, we’re not getting enough and could benefit from an extra apple or two.

Fruits in particular are loaded with antioxidants and fiber and are high in vitamins and minerals. They help with weight loss, reduce the risk of disease, and result in an overall healthier body. While they are higher in sugar, the extra fiber in fruit helps to absorb the sugar, which actually helps to control your blood sugar.

Now if I told you that veggies were rich in protein, would you laugh at me? Well, prepare to giggle because 1 cup of broccoli has 2.6 grams of protein! That may sound like a small amount, but when you’re snacking on this veggie, it begins to add up!

In fact, veggies are a great way to get protein, vitamins, and minerals without adding sugar, fat, or cholesterol. Eating veggies can help reduce your risk of kidney stones, disease, bone loss, heart attacks, and strokes.

So how many fruits and veggies should you eat? Aim to fill at least half of your plate with fruits and veggies, or make it a goal to eat 3-5 servings of each per day. Try balancing these servings throughout your day, starting with one serving at breakfast, one serving at lunch, and one serving at dinner; and then get that extra serving through snacks! It’s also important to make sure these fruits and veggies are of the highest quality. If they’ve been artificially ripened, picked early, or have been sitting on the grocery shelf for too long, the nutrient content can be compromised. You can find clean, naturally ripened options by researching local farmers with high food standards, or by growing your own food.

Thrive Life is obviously my go-to because we remove the guessing game! Thrive Life provides you with the highest quality, most nutrient-dense food on the planet. So grab some strawberries, or a handful of broccoli, and start adding more fruits and veggies to your daily diet.