Strive for 5 Cups: FAQs
FAQs
Why 5 Cups?
Our Strive for 5 cups principle is based on recommendations in the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. For more information, go to mypyramid.gov
Why not just take a supplement?
No pill can do this…the benefits are NOT because of any one nutrient but rather a host of vitamins, minerals, fiber and other compounds that are found in plant-based foods. Variety is key—choose among citrus fruits, melons, berries, and other fruits, as well as dark green leafy vegetables, bright orange vegetables, dried beans and lentils, starchy vegetables (like potatoes), and others.
When is a multivitamin a good idea?
Smart supplementation with a standard daily multivitamin with minerals is always a good bet, but especially if you’re trying to lose weight. In addition, adults who avoid dairy foods should take 1000 milligrams of calcium divided into at least 2 daily doses.
What’s healthier, organic or conventional produce?
It’s important to remember that the term organic is not an indication of health or safety, but rather how something has been grown and processed. With that said, there’s been no research to prove that organic has a nutrition edge—in part because all fruits and vegetables have amazing health benefits, regardless of where or how they’re grown.
I usually eat one of the "Think5" bars a day. These bars are found only in the health food section and have 3 cups of veggies and 2 cups of fruit in each bar. Can I include this in my daily cups?
Food bars like this are a great improvement over a candy bar … but they don't count as your 5 cups of fruits and veggies a day. Yes, at one time they were fresh, but now are in a dried form and need to be counted accordingly. On mypyramid.gov it says that each ¼ cup dried fruit weighs about 1-1/2 ounces and counts like ½ cup of other fruit and vegetables. If a bar is entirely made up of dried fruit, then just look at the weight of the bar to work out your cup count. For example, a 3-ounce bar would count as 1 cup of fruit/veggies. It’s best to use these as an occasional snack and continue to eat a wide variety of fresh, frozen and canned fruits and vegetables totaling 5 cups a day.
Does wine count as a fruit?
Sorry! By definition, wine is an alcoholic drink made by the partial or complete fermentation of the juice of fresh grapes.
If vodka is made from potatoes, does vodka count?
In a word, NO, but nice try!
Considering that soy milk is made from soybeans that have been soaked in water, ground, and strained, does it count as a vegetable?
Soy milk is part of the milk group on mypyramid.gov because it is nutritionally close to cow's milk when it is fortified with calcium making it a great option for people who are lactose intolerant or vegan.
Do other soy products count towards vegetable cups?
Tofu along with edamame, the soybeans that are sold fresh, frozen or canned, count as vegetables as well as in the protein group on mypyramid.gov. Each cup counts as a cup of vegetables. But other soy products, like veggie burgers and tempeh would replace meat and are counted, according to mypyramid.gov as part of the meat group and not the vegetable group. They have been processed to the extent that their role in the diet is more as a protein source, not a vegetable.
Do peanuts & peanut butter count as vegetable?
Nuts and seeds count as meat alternatives, not vegetables.
How do you count vegetables in soup?
Unless it has been determined for you (like Wegmans prepared soups and recipes) you will have to estimate. While broth has nutrients, we do not count it as vegetables. You need to estimate the amount of vegetable or beans you see in the soup. For example, our Spicy Red Lentil Soup is a thick soup with lots of beans and veggies, but you need to eat 12 ounces of it to get 1 cup of veggies (the rest of the volume is the broth). Condensed soups require added water, usually an equal amount. Before you add water you can get a good idea of how much veggies are there for your estimate. Thus, if you need to add water to the 15-oz can—that would mean it would reconstitute to approximately 30 ounces, so for each cup of soup you could potentially have ½ cup of veggies—but again depends on the type of soup. Best approach is your best estimate based on what the soup is and how much you are eating.
Popcorn comes from corn, so does it count as a vegetable?
Popcorn is a grain, not a vegetable. And 3 cups popped is a serving of whole grain which makes it a great choice.
