2005 RDAs for Fruits, Veggies Increased; Largest Group of All

Published on: January 5, 2005

For the first time, the Federal government has indicated that fruits and vegetables should take priority over all other food groups and recommends that half your plate at each meal should be fruits or vegetables. The recommendations come from the 2005 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Report for Americans, released this month (January.)

The reason? Fruits and vegetables are key to fighting the causes of more than 75 percent of all deaths in the U.S. each year, namely Type 2 diabetes, stroke, cancer, heart disease, and hypertension (high blood pressure.)

Stacking the plate with fruit and vegetables not only fights these diseases, but it is critical to maintaining healthy weight and/or losing weight, coupled with daily exercise of one-half hour or more.

During each day, the average American consuming a 2,200 calorie-per-day diet should consume the following proportions:

Fruits and vegetables should be 54% or 5 cups

Grains should be 38% or 3½ cups

Meat, fish, or poultry only 8% or ¾ cup

Total quantity of food of 9¼ cups can be supplemented with one cup of low fat yogurt or milk.

Broken down by age, sex and activity, the following specific portions are suggested:

All children ages 1 to 3, and girls ages 4 to 8, should consume 1,200 calories, including 2½ cups of fruits and vegetables throughout the day.

All boys ages 4 to 8, should consume 1,400 calories including 3 cups of fruits and vegetables per day.

All girls ages 9 to 13 and women age 51 and older should consume 1,600 calories including 3½ cups of fruits and vegetables per day.

Boys ages 9 to 13, girls ages 14 to 18, and women ages 31 to 50 should consume 1,800 calories daily including 4 cups of fruits and vegetables.

Women ages 19 to 30 and men 51 or older should consume 2,000 calories and 4½ cups of fruits and vegetables per day.

Boys ages 14 to 18 and men ages 19 to 50 can consume 2,200 calories if they include 5 cups of vegetables and fruit each day.

Active boys and men ages 14 to 30 can increase daily calorie level from 2,600 to 3,200 if they consume 5½ to 6½ cups of fruits and vegetables.

The 2005 guidelines for grains include 3 ½ cups. Milk and milk products should be limited to 3 cups, and meat, fish, or poultry should be about 6 ounces or ¾ cup. All guidelines are for a day, not a meal, and for intake of 2,200 calories which is suitable for active women, most men, teen girls, and children ages 7 to 12.

If you eat three meals a day, you can certainly divide the quantities evenly, or as your appetite desires. If you enjoy snacks, think fruit or veggies, and you'll easily meet your RDA requirements. The important thing is to consider fruits and vegetables first, before grains, before meat/fish/poultry, or dairy.

More on fruits and vegetables tomorrow, and the how and why they specifically help us fight disease.

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