| THE FOOD GROUPS - Fruits |
Why are fruits important?
Fruit and fruit juices provide important amounts of vitamins A and C and potassium.
They are low in fat and sodium. The Food Guide Pyramid suggests 2 to 4 servings of fruits a day.
What counts as a serving?
- a medium apple, banana, or orange
- 1/2 cup of chopped, cooked, or canned fruit
- 3/4 cup of fruit juice
Here are some selection tips:
Choose fresh fruits, fruit juices, and frozen, canned, or dried fruit. Pass up fruit canned
or frozen in heavy syrups and sweetened fruit juices unless you have calories to spare.
Eat whole fruits often - they are higher in fiber than fruit juices.
Have citrus fruits, melon, and berries regularly. They are rich in vitamin C.
Count only 100 percent fruit juice as fruit. Punches, ades, and most
fruit "drinks" contain only a little juice and lots of added sugars.
Grape and orange sodas don't count as fruit juice.
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