Take 5

We’ve so often been told that good nutrition requires 5 servings of fruit and veggies each day – but that can sound like a lot of work, a lot of expense, and a lot of food for the already over-stressed caregiver.  Following a nutritious diet is easier if we consider that serving sizes are not large.  One serving of fruit can be:

·         A medium (baseball-sized) piece of fruit.

·         6 ounces of 100% fruit or veggie juice.

·         ¼ cup of dried fruit

·         ½ cup of chopped fresh, frozen or canned fruit

If you want to avoid the hassle of measuring food for every meal, consider these useful visual measures:  ½ cup is about the size of a fist, and a 3 ounce portion is about the size of a deck of cards.  

Fruit juice is an easy option but consider that it is high in calories and sugar.  Fruit when eaten in its natural form provides a great source of fiber which is much more beneficial for your heart, your bowels and your waistline.

Canned fruit should be purchased in light syrup to decrease the sugar content especially for those with diabetes.