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What Counts as a Serving of Vegetables?

Written by Sky Taylor, Diet Bites

Vegetables, Part of a Healthy Diet Plan

How many daily vegetables does your body require daily to remain healthy, wealthy & wise? Well, let's amend that to 'healthy & wise' because who needs to be wealthy when they have good health, right? Right.....

Exact Amount Of Vegetables Your Body Needs Depends Upon Several Factors

The amount of vegetables that your body requires depends on many factors including: age, sex, activity level, muscle mass, current weight.

The USDA recommends the following amount of daily vegetables based on age and a moderate physical activity level.

Higher Activity Level, Daily Energy Needs Increase

Active individuals may be able to consume more vegetables while remaining within their body's daily calorie (energy) requirement. The daily recommendation for vegetables below is based on an activity level of 30 minutes of moderate activity per day beyond normal daily activities.

Take special note that vegetable choices should be selected from among the vegetable subgroups (dark green vegetables, orange and yellow vegetables, beans, peas, starchy vegetables and other vegetables).

Although the USDA does not instruct an individual to consume vegetables from each subgroup daily, they do recommend that over the space of one week that the individual aim to consume the amounts listed below in the subgroups.

How Many Vegetables Does Your Body Require Per Day?
*Based on per week.

Children, 2-3 years old

Recommended Daily Amount [RDA] of Vegetables = 1 cup
Dark green vegetables = 1 cup
Orange & yellow vegetables = 1/2 cup
Dry Beans, Peas = 1/2 cup
Starchy vegetables = 1 1/2 cups
Other vegetables = 4 cups

Children, 4-8 years old

Recommended Daily Amount [RDA] of Vegetables = 1 1/2 cups
Dark green vegetables = 1 1/2 cups
Orange & yellow vegetables = 1 cup
Dry Beans, Peas = 1 cup
Starchy vegetables = 2 1/2 cups
Other vegetables = 4 1/2 cups

Girls, 9-13 years old

Recommended Daily Amount [RDA] of Vegetables = 2 cups
Dark green vegetables = 2 cups
Orange & yellow vegetables = 1 1/2 cups
Dry Beans, Peas = 2 1/2 cups
Starchy vegetables = 2 1/2 cups
Other vegetables = 5 1/2 cups

Girls, 14-18 years old

Recommended Daily Amount [RDA] of Vegetables =  1 1/2 cups
Dark green vegetables = 3 cups
Orange & yellow vegetables = 2 cups
Dry Beans, Peas = 3 cups
Starchy vegetables = 3 cups
Other vegetables = 6 1/2 cups

Boys, 9-13 years old

Recommended Daily Amount [RDA] of Vegetables =  2 1/2 cups
Dark green vegetables = 3 cups
Orange & yellow vegetables = 2 cups
Dry Beans, Peas = 3 cups
Starchy vegetables = 3 cups
Other vegetables = 6 1/2 cups

Boys, 14-18 years old

Recommended Daily Amount [RDA] of Vegetables =  3 cups
Dark green vegetables = 3 cups
Orange & yellow vegetables = 2 cups
Dry Beans, Peas = 3 cups
Starchy vegetables = 6 cups
Other vegetables = 7 cups

Women, 19-30 years old

Recommended Daily Amount [RDA] of Vegetables =  2 1/2 cups
Dark green vegetables = 3 cups
Orange & yellow vegetables = 2 cups
Dry Beans, Peas = 3 cups
Starchy vegetables = 3 cups
Other vegetables = 6 1/2 cups

Women, 31-50 years old

Recommended Daily Amount [RDA] of Vegetables =  2 1/2 cups
Dark green vegetables = 3 cups
Orange & yellow vegetables = 1 2/2 cups
Dry Beans, Peas = 3 cups
Starchy vegetables = 3 cups
Other vegetables = 6 1/2 cups

Women, 51+ years old

Recommended Daily Amount [RDA] of Vegetables =  2 cups
Dark green vegetables = 2 cups
Orange & yellow vegetables = 2 cups
Dry Beans, Peas = 2 1/2 cups
Starchy vegetables = 2 1/2 cups
Other vegetables = 5 1/2 cups

Men, 19-30 years old

Recommended Daily Amount [RDA] of Vegetables =  3 cups
Dark green vegetables = 3 cups
Orange & yellow vegetables = 2 cups
Dry Beans, Peas = 3 cups
Starchy vegetables = 6 cups
Other vegetables = 7 cups

Men, 31-50 years old

Recommended Daily Amount [RDA] of Vegetables =  3 cups
Dark green vegetables = 3 cups
Orange & yellow vegetables = 2 cups
Dry Beans, Peas = 3 cups
Starchy vegetables = 6 cups
Other vegetables = 7 cups

Men, 51+ years old

Recommended Daily Amount [RDA] of Vegetables =  2 1/2 cups
Dark green vegetables = 3 cups
Orange & yellow vegetables = 2 cups
Dry Beans, Peas = 3 cups
Starchy vegetables = 3 cups
Other vegetables = 6 1/2  cups

What counts as a cup of vegetables?

Aim for 1 cup of raw or cooked vegetables or 1 cup of vegetable juice. Two cups of raw leafy greens equals 1 cup from the vegetable group.

TYPE OF VEGETABLE

AMOUNT EQUALING 1 CUP OF VEGETABLES

Dark Green Vegetables
Broccoli

1 cup chopped broccoli or 1 cup florets or 3 spears about 5" long

Greens

1 cup, cooked

Spinach

1 cup, cooked or 2 cups, raw

Raw, Leafy Greens

2 cups, raw

Orange & Yellow Vegetables
Carrots 1 cup chopped, raw or cooked; 2 medium carrots or 1 cup baby carrots
Pumpkin 1 cup cooked, mashed
Sweet Potato 1 large baked potato; 1 cup sliced or mashed (cooked)
Winter Squash 1 cup cubed, cooked
Dry Beans & Peas
Black, Chick, Kidney, Pinto, Soy, Peas 1 cup whole or mashed, cooked
Tofu 1 cup or about 8 ounces
Starchy Vegetables
Corn, all varieties 1 cup; 1 large ear
Green Peas 1 cup
White Potatoes 1 cup diced & mashed; 1 medium baked/boiled; 20 medium fries
Other Vegetables
Bean Sprouts 1 cup, cooked
Cabbage, green 1 cup, chopped or shredded - raw or cooked
Cauliflower 1 cup pieces or florets - raw or cooked
Celery 1 cup diced or sliced - raw or cooked; 2 large stalks
Cucumbers 1 cup raw, sliced or chopped
Green or Wax Beans 1 cup, cooked
Peppers - Green or Red 1 cup chopped, raw or cooked; 1 large pepper
Lettuce, Iceberg or Head 2 cups raw - shredded or chopped
Mushrooms 1 cup - raw or cooked
Onions 1 cup chopped - raw or cooked
Tomatoes 1 large raw tomato, 1 cup chopped or sliced raw, canned or cooked
Tomato or Vegetable Juice 1 cup
Summer Squash or Zucchini 1 cup cooked - sliced or diced

 

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