Healing Foods Pyramid™
Fruits and Vegetables are included in the Healing Foods Pyramid™ as part of a balanced, whole foods, plant-based diet. This Food Pyramid emphasizes foods that nourish the body, sustain energy over time, contain healing qualities and essential nutrients, and support a sustainable environment.
What are the recommended servings per day?
- Overall: more than 7 servings
- Vegetables: unlimited (minimum 5 servings)
- Fruits: 2-4 servings
Why should you choose fruits & vegetables?
- Excellent source of fiber
- Rich in vitamins and minerals including folate, potassium, vitamins A and C
- Low in calories and fat-free
-Except for avocados which are a good source of Healthy Fat
- Provide a food source of water; fruits and vegetables are made up of more than 50% water
- Abundant in phytochemicals and antioxidants
- Most are low on the glycemic index
- High consumption helps reduce risk of various diseases such as cancer, obesity, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, asthma, macular degeneration and diverticulosis
- Increasing fruit and vegetable intake decreases risk of unhealthy weight gain
What is the threshold effect?
Research supports evidence of an inverse relationship of fruit and vegetable consumption with development of chronic disease. This means that the more fruits and vegetables you eat, the less likely you are to develop chronic diseases. The most significant reductions in risk of illness are seen when individuals consume 7-10 servings of fruits & vegetables per day (the threshold). Therefore, to get the most health benefits we recommend a minimum “threshold” of 7 servings of fruits & vegetables daily.
Recommended Serving Sizes of Fruits & Vegetables
Fruit or Vegetable |
Serving Size |
Apple/Orange |
Size of tennis ball |
Baby carrots |
6-7 |
Banana |
Medium |
Berries |
¾ cup |
Vegetables, cooked |
½ cup |
Grapes |
17 |
Fruit, Dried |
¼ cup |
Melon, Chopped |
1 cup |
Fruit/Vegetable, Raw, Chopped |
½ cup |
Leafy Greens, Raw, Chopped |
1 cup |
Specific Considerations
Fiber
- Fiber comes from plants, therefore fruits and vegetables are naturally good sources of dietary fiber
- In some cases fruits and vegetables with the skin have more fiber and antioxidants than their peeled counterparts, so wash them well and eat the skins
Calcium
- For individuals who do not consume dairy products, vegetables can be a good source of calcium
- Many dark green leafy vegetables including mustard greens, turnip greens, and bok choy are good sources of calcium
Glycemic Index
- Fruits and vegetables are generally low on the glycemic index and, therefore, cause a gradual increase in blood sugar
- Tropical fruits, carrots and beets, have received a bad name for having a high glycemic index
- Most of these foods have a low glycemic load, so the amount of sugar provided in an average serving is unlikely to significantly increase blood sugar
- Variety is important - the benefits of eating different types of fruits and vegetables greatly outweigh the potential risk of eating a food that is naturally high in sugar
Phytochemicals
- Research tells us that the more phytochemical - rich foods eaten, the lower the risk for diseases such as cancer and heart disease
- Thousands of phytochemicals have been identified in the plant foods we eat
- One serving of fruit or vegetables may contain more than 100 different phytochemicals
- It is important to eat a variety of raw and cooked vegetables to gain the most benefit from phytochemicals
- Phytochemicals contribute to the pigments of fruits and vegetables:
Red - lycopene found in tomatoes, watermelon, & pink grapefruit
Orange - beta carotene found in carrots, mangoes, & cantaloupe
Yellow - beta cryptothanxin found in pineapple, oranges, & peaches
Green - indoles found in broccoli, cabbage, & kale
Purple - anthocyanins found in blueberries, grapes, eggplant & cherries
White – allicin found in garlic, onions, & chives
Antioxidants
The most well known phytochemicals are the antioxidants:
- Colorful plant foods are loaded with antioxidants so eating a variety of fruits and vegetables is a great way to protect the body from oxidative damage, and therefore reduces the risk of numerous health conditions
- Research shows antioxidants play a role in preventing prostate, lung, mouth, and throat cancers. Research also suggests antioxidants are helpful in the prevention and management of Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, arthritis and aging.
Cooking Fruits and Vegetables
- Some antioxidants are available when the fruit or vegetable is raw, and others are more available when the fruit or vegetable is cooked. For example:
-Lycopene, found in tomatoes, is more available to the body when they are cooked
-Beta carotene, found in carrots, is more available to the body when they are raw
- Steaming helps vegetables retain water-soluble B vitamins and vitamin C, which are easily lost during boiling
- High cooking temperatures and long cooking times also destroy heat sensitive nutrients such as B vitamins, vitamin C, and folate, so keep cooking times short
Pesticide Use
To reduce consumption of pesticides, follow these tips:
- Wash all fruits and vegetables with water or a fruit and vegetable wash.
- Some common homemade fruits and vegetable washes are:
-2tbsp. baking soda + 1 tbsp lemon juice + water
-½ white vinegar + ½ water (soak for 5 minutes)
-Diluted dish soap
- Before eating apples, cucumbers, potatoes or other produce in which the outer skin or peel is consumed, scrub with a brush
- Throw away the outer leaves of leafy vegetables, such as lettuce and cabbage
Consider Organic
According to the Consumers Union and The Environmental Working Group as of 2009, the top fruits and vegetables to buy organic because of potential pesticide residue are:
- Peaches
- Cherries
- Apples
- Strawberries
- Pears
- Kale
- Celery
- Lettuce
- Grapes
- Sweet bell peppers
- Nectarines
- Carrots
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Ways to Increase your Organic Fruits and Vegetables Intake
- Shop at farmers markets (Find one locally at: localharvest.org)
- Buy a share in a community supported agriculture (CSA) program
-For more information, check out nal.usda.gov
- Join a food co-op, they are great places to find local produce
- Preserve extra organic produce when in season by freezing or canning
- Grow your own fruits and vegetables
-Try starting small: cherry tomatoes and peppers can easily be grown in pots indoors or outdoors
- Prioritize: start with buying what is on sale or choose one item you eat most frequently and switch to organic.
Ideas to Increase Consumption of Fruits and Vegetable
- Do it gradually
- Snack on raw vegetables instead of chips and crackers. To keep it interesting, try dipping vegetables in hummus, salsa or low-fat dip.
- Add fruit to your cereal or yogurt at breakfast
- Order salads as an appetizer when out to dinner
- Get creative - add vegetables to dishes that don’t always include them, like scrambled eggs, rice or pasta dishes, pizza and casseroles
- Drink your fruit (including fruit just past its prime) in the form of a fruit smoothie where the whole fruit is used
-Be aware, many store bought smoothies and mixes are made with added colors and sugar, and lack the naturally occurring fiber, so check the label before you buy
- Choose salads as your main course for lunch or dinner. For variety, top your salads with strawberries, grapes, orange slices, or dried cranberries; and for protein add tempeh, nuts, or fish.
- In hot weather, frozen fruit such as grapes, sliced kiwis, sliced peaches, bananas and strawberries are a refreshing snack
- Enjoy salad bars at restaurants or grocery stores
- When craving a sweet treat, try dried fruit; it’s quick, easy and no mess! For easy access keep some at work or in the car
- Buy fresh fruits and vegetables in season. (Find out what to buy: nrdc.org)
- Frozen fruit and vegetables are frozen soon after harvest and can be eaten during the off season as a nutritious alternative to fresh produce
- Watch local grocery advertisements for reduced prices on your favorite fruits and vegetables
- Try fruit for dessert, on its own or with a dollop of fresh whipped cream or ice cream. A bowl of mixed berries is an excellent treat for the sweet tooth.
- Prepare fruits and vegetables ahead of time, so they are readily available when you are hungry
- Fill half of your plate with vegetables and/or fruit
- Choose a rainbow of fruits and vegetables daily; quantity is important and variety is the way to maximize your nutrient consumption.
- Many fruits and vegetables are easy snacks for a busy day. Try baby carrots, grapes, clementines, apples, bananas, cherries, even broccoli.
Resources
10 Fruits and Vegetables to Buy Organic
Children’s Health Environmental Coalition
www.checnet.org/HealtheHouse
Accessed May 26, 2009
Fruits & Vegetables
Nutrition Source, Harvard School of Public Health
www.hsph.harvard.edu
Accessed May 26, 2009.
Fruits and Vegetables Matter
Center for Disease Control and Prevention
www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov
Accessed May 26, 2009
The Health Value of Fruits and Vegetables
Iowa State University Extension
www.extension.iastate.edu
Accessed May 26, 2009
High ORAC Foods May Slow Aging
McBride J.
Agricultural Research Service / US Department of Agriculture
www.ars.usda.gov
Accessed May 26, 2009
How do I get started with cancer fighting nutrition?
Dixon, S.
Cancer Nutrition Information web
www.cancernutritioninfo.com
Accessed May 26, 2009
Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides
Environmental Working Group
www.foodnews.org
Accessed June 9, 2009
Pesticide Residues on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables: What’s the Risk?
Fraser, A.
North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension
www.ces.ncsu.edu
Accessed June 9, 2009
The Healthy Facts about Fruits and Vegetables
The American Dietetic Association
www.eatright.org
Accessed June 9, 2009
Nutraceuticals, Phytochemicals & Antioxidants: What are they?
Dresbach, S.
Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet, Family and Consumer Services
http://ohioline.osu.edu
Accessed May 27, 2009
Top Antioxidant Foods
Diana Dyer web site
www.cancerrd.com
Accessed May 27, 2009
What color is your food?
Garden-Robinson, J.
North Dakota State University Extension Service, August 2003.
http://www.ext.nodak.edu
Accessed May 27, 2009
Why Fruit & Vegetable Benefits
www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov
Accessed May 27, 2009
Original Research and Review Articles
Bes-Rastrollo M, et a. Association of fiber intake and fruit/vegetable consumption with weight gain in a Mediterranean population. Nutrition. 2006; 22: 504-511.
Brew CT, et al. Indole-3-carbinol inhibits MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell motility and induces stress fibers and focal adhesion formation by activation of Rho kinase activity. International Journal of Cancer. 2008; 124: 2294-2302.
Broekmans WMR, et al. Fruits and vegetables increase plasma carotenoids and vitamins and decrease homocysteine in humans. The Journal of Nutrition. 2000;130:1578-1583.
Chinnakannu, K, et al. Cell cycle-dependent effects of 3,3’-Diinndolylmethane on proliferation and Apoptosis of Prostate Cancer Cells. Journal of Cellular Physiology. 2009; 219: 94-99.
Darlington LG, et al. Antioxidants and fatty acids in the amelioration of rheumatoid arthritis and related disorders. British Journal of Nutrition. 2001;85(3):251-269.
Djoussé L, et al. Fruit and vegetable consumption and LDL cholesterol: the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Family Heart Study. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2004;79: 213-217.
Flood-Obbagy J, et al. The effect of fruit in different forms on energy intake and satiety at a meal. Appetite. 2009; 52: 416-422.
Hasler CM, et al. Position of the American Dietetic Association: Functional foods. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 2004; 104:814-826.
He F, et al. Fruit and vegetable consumption and stroke: meta-analysis of cohort studies. The Lancet. 2006; 367(9507):320-326.
He X, et al. Phytochemicals of apple peels: isolation, structure elucidation, and their antiproliferative and antioxidant activities. Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry. 2008; 56 (21): 9905-9910.
Kalt, W. Effects of production and processing factors on major fruit and vegetable antioxidants. Journal of Food Science. 2005; 70 (1) r11-r19.
Lampe JW. Health effects of vegetables and fruit: assessing mechanisms of action in human experimental studies. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.1999;70(suppl):475s-490s.
Liu, RH. Potential synergy of phytochemicals in cancer prevention: mechanism of action. Journal of Nutrition. 2004; 134(12 suppl):3479s-3485s.
Machijima Y, et al. Anti-adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma effects of idol-3-carbinol. Retrovirology. 2009; 6(7); 1-13.
Prior, RL. Fruits and vegetable in the prevention of cellular oxidative damage. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2003; 78(suppl): 570s-578s.
Ribaya-Mercado JD, et al. Lutein and zeanthin and their potential roles in disease prevention. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. 2004; 23(6): 567s-587s.
Son TG, et al. Hormetic dietary phytochemicals. Neuromolecular Medicine. 2008; 10:236-246.
Van Duyn MAS, et al. Overview of the health benefits of fruit and vegetable consumption for the dietetics professional: selected literature. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 2000;100(12):1511-1521.
The Healing Foods Pyramid™ was created by the Nutrition Education Team at the University of Michigan Integrative Medicine, Department of Family Medicine in 2005 and updated in 2009.
© copyright 2010 Regents of the University of Michigan - University of Michigan Integrative Medicine
Monica Myklebust, M.D. and Jenna Wunder, M.P.H., R.D. For questions and licensing information please call 734-998-7874 or email umim-hfp@umich.edu.
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