Quiz: How much do you know about serving sizes?

Are you getting enough fruit and veggies?

Women ages 19 to 50 should be eating seven to eight servings of fruit and vegetables a day, according to Canada’s Food Guide. Men need eight to 10 servings. But knowing what constitutes one serving can be tricky, when you consider that fruit and veggies come in such a wide range of shapes and sizes.

Read on to test your knowlege of serving sizes and find out how to get more of the good stuff in your daily diet.

Eat your greens

How much is one serving size of…

Green beans:
a) 1/2 cup (125 mL)
b) 2 cups (500 mL)
c) 2.5 cups (625 mL)

Broccoli:
a) 1 cup (250 mL)
b) 2 cups (500 mL)
c) 1/2 cup (125 mL)

Answer: 1/2 cup

One serving of these nutrient-packed green veggies is equal to one large floret of broccoli (1/2 cup) and one handful (or 1/2 cup) of green beans. Sneak more of these vitamin C-rich vegetables into your daily diet by adding them to salads and stir-fries.

Recipe to try: Broccoli, Cauliflower and Leek Soup

Red is best

How much is one serving of…

Sweet peppers:
a) 2 peppers (500 mL)
b) 1/2 pepper (125 mL)
c) 1 pepper (250 mL)

Tomatoes:
a) 1/2 cup (125 mL)
b) 3 cups (750 mL)
c) 1 cup (250 mL)

Answer: 1/2 cup

One serving of sweet peppers is equal to half a pepper, or 1/2 cup (125 mL). Three slices of a medium-sized tomato (or 1/2 cup) will give you one serving. Tomatoes and peppers are both loaded with vitamins-one serving of chopped red or yellow sweet peppers has almost double your daily needs of vitamin C.

Recipe to try: Cheese-Baked Peppers with Linguine

Apples and oranges

What is considered one serving of…

Apple:
a) 1 small
b) 1 medium
c) 1 large

Orange:
a) 1 small
b) 1 medium
c) 1 large

Answer: 1 medium

You can’t go wrong with the delicious, portable snack that is an apple or an orange. One medium-sized fruit will not only boost your servings of fruit for the day, but will also boost your daily fibre intake and give you a healthy dose of vitamin C.

While you’re raiding the fruit bowl, keep in mind that one medium banana and one large kiwi each make up a single serving of fruit, while 1/2 of a grapefruit is all you need to get in a single serving.

Recipe to try: Curried Chicken and Apple Lettuce Wraps

Side-dish stars: Corn and potatoes

How much is one serving of…

Corn:
a) 3 cups (750 mL)
b) 1/2 cup (125 mL)
c) 2 cups (500 mL)

Potatoes:
a) 1/2 cup (125 mL)
b) 1 cup (250 mL)
c) 1 1/2 cups (375 mL)

Answer: 1/2 cup

Nothing rounds out a delicious meal quite like a healthy side of corn and potatoes. Add 1/2 cup of corn and two small (or one medium, or 1/2 cup) potatoes to your plate, and you’ll have boosted your daily veggie intake by two servings. Not too shabby! Potatoes may have gotten a bad rap in the past, but they’re actually a great source of health-boosting minerals such as potassium and manganese.

Recipe to try: Peppery Corn Soup, Potato and Zucchini Tortilla

Add more fruit and veggies to your diet

Want to sneak more fruit and vegetables into your daily diet? Harvest the best flavors using today’s pick of the crop with a little help from The Market Fresh Cookbook. This wholesome resource brings you more than 300 scrumptuous recipes for main dishes, sides, desserts, and more-all organized by produce type. Plus, it highlights the different varieties available, when each is in season, and how to choose for freshness and keep it that way with proper storage.

Available now in the Best Health Store.

Related:
• 4 myths about nightshade vegetables
• 8 secrets to shopping at farmers’ markets
• Quiz: What’s your nutrient IQ?