Only about 12% of surveyed Americans meet their daily fruit intake, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found in 2019. That number is even lower among low-income adults.
Eating fruits and vegetables is an important part of a healthy diet, but for many who live in areas of food insecurity access may be a challenge. The U.S. Department of Agriculture found 44.2 million Americans lived in food-insecure households in 2022.
Meanwhile, an estimated 30-40% of the food supply in the U.S. goes to waste.
If you live in an area with access to fresh produce, any choice of fruit is a healthy one, says registered dietitian Danielle Crumble Smith. However, each fruit has a unique nutritional profile and benefits. Here are some of the must-haves for your diet:
Aside from making a tasty snack, fruit is beneficial because it contains vitamins, minerals, fiber, water and other essential nutrients, Crumble Smith previously told USA TODAY.
Fruit can help combat the afternoon slump better than reaching for another cup of coffee. And Bbecause natural sugar is a healthy source of energy, pairing fruit with protein will give you a similar boost.
Crumble Smith does recommend caution for people with diabetes, insulin resistance or blood sugar issues. In that case, be mindful of portion size or try to pair your afternoon raspberries with a protein, like yogurt or cheese.
Fruit smoothies are an easy and accessible way to get your daily fruit content. Crumble Smith recommends making them at home rather than grabbing one from a smoothie bar or a pre-packaged drink from the store. If you’re going for bottled juice, read the nutritional label thoroughly to check for added sugar content.
"All the concentrated fruit tends to be really high in sugar and don’t have any protein to help stabilize blood sugar levels," she told USA TODAY in 2023.
The daily recommended fruit serving depends on several factors, including age, height, sex, weight and physical activity. Generally, the USDA says adults should consume around 2 cups of fruit per day.
Here are some examples of what counts as a “cup” of fruit:
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