Doctors Advice from Web Medical Doctor

Food Reports for your benefit

One serving of fruits and vegetables should fit within the palm of your hand — it's a lot smaller than most people think.

The palm of your hand is an easy way to think about serving sizes and to see how doable it is to eat 5 to 9 A Day, everyday.

If you measure it out, one serving is:

• A small glass of 100% fruit or vegetable juice (3/4 cup or 6 oz)
  
  
• A medium-size piece of fruit
  (an orange, small banana, medium-size apple)
  
  
• One cup of raw salad greens
  
  
• 1/2 cup of cooked vegetables
  
  
• 1/2 cup of cut-up fruit or vegetables
  
  
• 1/4 cup of dried fruit
  
  
• 1/2 cup of cooked beans or peas
  

A typical portion is often more than one serving. A large salad, for example, can add up to 2 to 3 servings.

Health Benefits

Research shows that fruits and vegetables are powerful defenders of our health. The research supporting a critical role for fruits and vegetables in good health grows stronger all the time. Scientists now agree that fruits and vegetables should be the foundation of a healthy diet.

In addition to helping you feel better eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can also help reduce your risk of many chronic diseases including cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, stroke and other diseases. Click on a link to the right for more information on that topic.