How many servings of fruit do you really need?

Key points:

• Most Aussies eat only about half the recommended quantity of fruit. 
• Fruit is abundant in vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients (nutrients naturally present in plants) and fibre, and forms part of a balanced, healthy diet. 
• The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend adults eat a minimum of two serves of fruit per day. 

Fruit is like nature’s lolly shop, with beautifully coloured and deliciously sweet fruit widely available in Australia. The added benefit of fruit is the plentiful supply of nutrients they bring. Fruit makes up one of the five core food groups of the Australian Dietary Guidelines and should be part of our daily diet. 

The different types of fruit

Fruits are the sweet, fleshy, edible part of a plant and generally contain seeds. They’re usually eaten raw, although some varieties can be cooked (think stewed apples and pears). 

Just like veggies, adding a variety of different fruits in your diet provides a range of nutrients to support your health and wellbeing. 

Choose fruits from these different fruit categories:

•    Pome fruits - apples and pears
•    Citrus fruits - oranges, grapefruits, mandarins and limes
•    Stone fruits - nectarines, apricots, peaches and plums
•    Tropical and exotic - bananas, mangoes, paw paw and melons
•    Berries - strawberries, raspberries, blueberries 
•  Fun fact: although tomatoes and avocados are technically fruits, they are counted in the vegetable food group because of how most Aussies consume them.

Fresh, frozen and canned fruit (in natural juice) options are good sources of fruit. The dietary guidelines recommend we be mindful of canned fruit in syrup (it lacks dietary fibre and is higher in kilojoules) as well as fruit juice and dried fruit (both high in kilojoules and not great for teeth).

How many servings of fruit should you consume per day?

According to The Australian Dietary Guidelines, older children and adults should aim for a minimum of two serves of fruit per day. For 2-3 year olds, it’s one serve of fruit, while 4-8 year olds, it’s 1 ½ serves of fruit. 

Fruit consumption during pregnancy

For pregnant and breastfeeding women, the adult recommended intake doesn’t change, so it’s still a minimum of two servings of fruit per day. Variety is important so as to obtain a range of different vitamins and minerals. Fruit provides essential vitamins and minerals for both mother and baby including some of the folic acid particularly important during development of the baby’s neural tube. The dietary fibre can also be of benefit when constipation can be more common during pregnancy. 

What does a serving size of fruit look like?

A standard serve is about 150g which looks like: 

• 1 medium piece of fruit (such as a banana or apple)
• 2 small pieces of fruit (such as apricots) 
• 1 cup of diced or canned fruit

Or only occasionally:

• 125ml (½ cup) fruit juice (no added sugar)
• 30g dried fruit (for example, 4 dried apricot halves, 1½ tablespoons of sultanas)

The guidelines mention that it is easier to get more fruit than you think when eating dried fruit and that with both dried fruit and fruit juice dental health should be considered as these may increase the risk of dental decay. 

What are the benefits of including more fruit in your diet?

Fruit is abundant in vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals along with dietary fibre and carbohydrates too. Most of us know that we should eat fruit for the vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A, C, potassium and folate, but phytochemicals might be new. 

Phytochemicals can function as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents, important for their health protection mechanisms. We are still learning about the phytochemical content in various fruits and the benefits they bring. We do know that eating fruit will boost your phytochemical intake and it seems to be a good thing for overall health. 

There’s also evidence to suggest that consuming whole, fresh fruit may help with maintaining a healthy weight as it’s low in kilojoules and high in fibre. 

Increased fruit and veggie consumption may help lower the risk of hypertension and some chronic diseases, such as heart conditions and type 2 diabetes. Even more reason to enjoy your two servings a day! 

How you can hit your daily fruit intake

You could start your day with a mix of fruits using fresh, seasonal produce. A mix of berries, kiwi fruit and pear (great high fibre fruits) topped with ¼ cup low sugar muesli and some fresh Greek yoghurt is one way to hit your daily fruit intake. While frozen fruits like mangoes and berries are perfect in smoothies and overnight oats. 

If you have a bit of a sweet tooth, fruit is a healthy, naturally sweet option as a snack. An apple, orange or banana are good options. Remember, variety is key, so explore the amazing range of fruits available in each season. For example, berries and melons for summer and persimmons and pears in autumn / winter. 

You could also try freezing grapes for a cold snack that tastes similar to sherbet! Or try dipping the tip of a banana or strawberries into some melted dark chocolate for a decadent dessert.

Fruits can also add freshness, flavour and texture to salads. Think chopped mango, sliced peaches, pears and avocado. 

Finding it hard to get more fruit in your diet? Try to keep ready-to-eat washed fruit where you can see it - in a fruit bowl, in your lunch bag or at eye-level when you open your fridge. That way, it can be a lot easier to hit your daily serves. 

If you’re struggling with any nutritional areas, be sure to speak with your healthcare professional for support. 

Curious if your groceries are on track to hit the recommended serves? Find out today with Food Tracker! Food Tracker takes the guesswork out of your groceries by showing you how many serves of fruit you have, compared to the recommended amount. Join for free today.