Serving sizes for fruit vary based on whether it is whole, dried, or in juice form. A serving of fruit is generally considered to be ½ cup of fresh fruit, ¼ cup of dried fruit, or 6 ounces of pure fruit juice. The size of a serving of fruit should not be viewed as a restriction, but rather as a guideline to help people control the amount of fruit consumed.
The term “serving size” refers to the amount of a serving of a food that is adequate for consumption, and fruit serving size refers specifically to servings of fruit. Serving sizes serve as guidelines for monitoring the amount of different types of food eaten and for comparing actual amounts consumed with recommended daily intakes suggested by health officials. Fruit serving sizes vary widely and depend on whether the fruit is whole, dried, or prepared as a juice. Fruit serving sizes are usually measured by volume or size, and sometimes by weight.
The size of a serving of fruit refers to the amount of fruit that is suggested to be eaten at one time. To clarify, this does not necessarily mean that it is unacceptable to consume more than one serving of fruit at a time. Most fruits are low in calories but high in essential nutrients, so fruit serving sizes should not be viewed as restrictions, but rather as guidelines that help people control the amount of fruit consumed with time. Since most health authorities profess the benefits of eating diets rich in fruits and vegetables, fruit serving sizes generally help people ensure they are eating enough fruit, rather than helping people to make sure they don’t eat too much.
Determining the serving size of fruit depends on the state of the fruit itself. Fresh fruits like whole apples, oranges, berries, and many others will have larger serving sizes than their dried or juiced counterparts. Whole fruits have a higher water content, so nutrients and calories are less concentrated and larger serving sizes are acceptable, whether measured by volume or weight. Dried fruits, which logically have a much lower water content than fresh fruits, will have smaller servings. These smaller servings reflect the fact that less dried fruit is needed to get the same amounts of calories and nutrients because these elements have been concentrated. Fruit juice serving sizes follow the same principle.
Generally speaking, a serving of fruit is considered to be ½ cup (118 ml) of fresh fruit or one medium whole fruit; a ¼ cup (59 ml) of dried fruit; or 6 ounces (170 g) of 100% pure fruit juice. The serving sizes for dried fruit and fruit juice are fairly straightforward and easy to understand. However, the wide variety of fruits available means that sometimes calculating serving sizes for different types can be tricky. For example, the term “medium” is ambiguous and highly subjective. Fortunately, there are a few ways to make estimating your fruit serving size easier.
A medium apple or orange that would equal about ½ cup (118 ml) when chopped should be the size of a tennis ball, and 1 cup (237 ml) of whole fruit should be the size of a baseball. If selecting whole fruit that fits the average description is too difficult, it’s always safe to cut up fresh fruit and measure out a ½ cup (118 ml) serving. Small fruits like berries are also easy to measure into appropriate portions due to their size.
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