How Many Servings of Fruits & Vegetables Should You Have Per Day?

Plenty of fruits and vegetables are required for a human body to function properly.

Seven Servings

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that each person consume three to five servings of vegetables and two to four servings of fruits daily. This means that someone opting to consume the average number of vegetables (four) and fruits (three) would need seven total servings to fit within the average guidelines.

Nine Servings

More recent dietary guidelines suggest that people should aim to consume between five and 13 servings per day, depending on average caloric intake. In this instance, a person with an average caloric intake should be consuming roughly nine servings of fruits and vegetables daily.

Bottom Line

The more fruits and vegetables you consume daily, the healthier you will be. While seven servings might seem sufficient according to the food pyramid, opting for eight, nine or even 10 is more in line with recent dietary guidelines.

References

• Life Clinic: Food Pyramid
• Harvard School of Public Health: Vegetables and Fruits