What Counts As A Vegetable Serving? You Might Be Eating More Than You Think

Most people watching what they eat think of serving sizes as bearers of bad news — a serving of Oreos is only three cookies, in case you didn't know. But, when it comes to vegetables, the opposite may be true. While U.S. dietary guidelines have changed over time, you've probably heard the typical recommendation of eating five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. This can sound overwhelming and abstract as serving sizes vary, drastically. Fortunately, recommended amounts are a lot smaller than you might expect. While it's estimated that only 1 in 10 Americans eat enough produce, you might be a lot closer to hitting that five-serving goal than you realize.

First off, know that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) uses cups to illustrate serving sizes to limit confusion. By that standard, most adults are supposed to eat around three cups of colorful vegetables per day – a single serving essentially equals one cup. That said, recommendations differ slightly as women are urged to consume about two to three cups, and men around three to four cups. 

You can see why the simplicity of this measurement system pays off as most vegetables are split into two groups: vegetables and leafy greens. For any vegetables other than greens, a one-cup serving simply equals one cup (by volume) of that vegetable, whether it's raw or cooked. Simply fill one cup with chopped or mashed cauliflower, and that's still one serving towards your expected three.

For different types of leafy greens, serving sizes are slightly more complicated. Since these greens are less dense in calories and nutrients, but are very high in water, the USDA counts two cups as one serving. So, to hit that three-cup recommendation, you could eat one cup of carrots, one cup of bell peppers, and two cups of fresh lettuce. 

Looking at the cup-sized measurements, you'll realize this isn't too much produce to consume, either. Spread out over the whole day, you can easily eat one cup of vegetables per meal. Better yet, within the category, the USDA also counts cooked beans and starches like potatoes, which are actually quite nutritious. Eat one cup of roasted spuds and a side salad with dinner, and you've already made several strides towards a healthier diet.

Another interesting wrinkle in recommended serving sizes is that the USDA typically counts one cup of vegetable juice as one cup of vegetables. Although 100% real juice does contain the same vitamins and minerals you get from a vegetable, you lose fiber, which can fill you up and help with digestion. While drinking juice is better than nothing, whole foods are still ideal for fulfilling your daily vegetable servings. Plus, given that three servings (cups) of vegetables is such a modest amount when you actually lay it out, this should help you feel less overwhelmed when trying to reaching this target.