In Florida, there’s a lot of fresh produce and it’s always a bit of a concern on how to measure fruits and veggies. While peas may be quite easy, measuring things like broccoli are not nearly as easy if you’re using a cup. The good news is that if you measure incorrectly and put too much broccoli on your plate, it won’t affect your weight loss program much and will boost your healthy eating. However, for people creating healthy recipes, it can make a difference in flavor.
You can use techniques used by chefs to get an accurate measurement.
It starts by cutting the vegetable in manageable pieces. From there, you can julienne them, dice them, chiffonade them or cube them. The problem many people face is not knowing how much to cut to begin with and that problem is solved easily. If you’re preparing dishes all week that require fruits or vegetables, when you get home, cut them up and store in one cup bags. Put them in the cup, pack them down and store. You’ll be ready for almost any recipe that way.
Here’s an easy way to estimate how much is in a cup.
Since healthy fruits and vegetables are relatively low in calories, estimating a cup is the easiest way. One large banana is one cup, just as 10 broccoli florets are. Twelve baby carrots equals a cup and a medium grapefruit is also one cup. Berries are easy to measure. For instance, eight large strawberries, normally fill a cup. If you want to feel like you’re eating a lot, snack on a cup of grapes throughout the day, that would be approximately 32 of them. Two large plums, one medium potato, one large ear of corn and about a third of a cantaloupe equal a cup. These may be measurements that are easier for you to use.
It’s all about increasing the amount of fruit and vegetables you’re eating.
While it’s tough to eat too many vegetables and fruit, it’s easier not to eat enough. If you have an apple as a snack and aren’t sure whether it’s a large apple or small (one serving or two) count it as a small one. Do the same for peaches and pears. A vegetable measurement equivalent chart can show you how much to buy when purchasing by the pound. For instance a pound of asparagus is three cups, a pound of beets makes 2 ½ cups. These charts are easy to find and will help you both when you create menus and shop, while also aiding you in your eating plan.
- If you’re eating dried fruit, a half cup counts as a cup of fresh fruit.
- Leafy greens are harder to measure, since you don’t want to spoil them by packing them too hard. For leafy greens, use two cups as a one cup measure.
- Knowing cup equivalents via pounds when fresh or ounces when canned or frozen can help you save money and eliminate waste.
- While the USDA suggests people eat from five to nine (approximately ½ cup each) of fruits and vegetables a day, many health care and nutrition experts suggest that ten a day may keep you healthier.
Contact us today at Craig Long Fit