Vegetables

Health Benefits

Eating vegetables provides health benefits — any vegetable or 100% vegetable juice helps to keep ypu health. Vegetables may be raw or cooked; fresh, frozen, canned, or dried/dehydrated; and may be whole, cut-up, or mashed. People who eat vegetables as part of an overall healthy diet are likely to have a reduced risk of some chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, and some types of cancer. Vegetables provide nutrients vital for health and maintenance of your body. Vegetables are important sources of: potassium, dietary fiber, folate (folic acid), vitamin A, vitamin E, and vitamin C. Most vegetables are naturally low in fat and calories. None have cholesterol. Eating vegetables that are low in calories per cup instead of some other higher-calorie food may be helpful in losing weight.

How many vegetables Do I needed?

The amount of vegetables you need to eat depends on your age, sex, and level of physical activity. Vegetable choices should be varied among the vegetable subgroups. You should consume your weekly goal of vegetables from all the subgroups. See the tables below for how much you need to consume total and how much from each subgroup.

Daily Vegetable Consumption

Children
2-3 years old
4-8 years old 		1 cup
1 ½ cups
Girls
9-13 years old
14-18 years old 		2 cups
2 ½ cups
Boys
9-13 years old
14-18 years old 		2 ½ cups
3 cups
Women
19-50 years old
51+ years old 		2 ½ cups
2 cups
Men
19-50 years old
51+ years old 		3 cups
2 ½ cups

Weekly Vegetables Consumption

Dark Green Vegetables  

bok choy, broccoli, collard greens, dark green leafy lettuce, kale, mesclun, mustard greens, romaine lettuce, spinach, turnip greens, watercress
Children
2-3 years old
4-8 years old 		1 cup
1 ½ cups
Girls
9-13 years old
14-18 years old 		2 cups
2 ½ cups
Boys
9-13 years old
14-18 years old 		3 cups
3 cups
Women
19-50 years old
51+ years old 		3 cups
2 cups
Men
19-50 years old
51+ years old 		3 cups
3 cups

Orange Vegetables

acorn squash,butternut squash,carrots,hubbard squash,pumpkin,sweetpotatoes
Children
2-3 years old
4-8 years old 		½ cup
1 cup
Girls
9-13 years old
14-18 years old 		1½ cups
2 cups
Boys
9-13 years old
14-18 years old 		2 cups
2 cups
Women
19-50 years old
51+ years old 		2 cups
1½ cups
Men
19-50 years old
51+ years old 		2 cups
2 cups

Dry Beans and Peas

black beans, black-eyed peas, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), kidney beans, lentils, lima beans, navy beans, pinto beans, soy beans, split peas, tofu, white beans
Children
2-3 years old
4-8 years old 		½ cup
1 cup
Girls
9-13 years old
14-18 years old 		1½ cups
3 cups
Boys
9-13 years old
14-18 years old 		3 cups
3 cups
Women
19-50 years old
51+ years old 		3 cups
2½ cups
Men
19-50 years old
51+ years old 		3 cups
3 cups

Starchy Vegetables

corn, green peas, lima beans (green), potatoes
Children
2-3 years old
4-8 years old 		1½ cups
2 cups
Girls
9-13 years old
14-18 years old 		2½ cups
3 cups
Boys
9-13 years old
14-18 years old 		3 cups
6 cups
Women
19-50 years old
51+ years old 		3 cups
2½ cups
Men
19-50 years old
51+ years old 		6 cups
3 cups

Other Vegetables

artichokes, asparagus, bean sprouts, beets, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, eggplant, green beans, green or red peppers, iceberg lettuce, mushrooms, okra, onions, parsnips, tomatoes, tomato juice, vegetable juice, turnips, wax beans, zucchini
Children
2-3 years old
4-8 years old 		4 cups
4½ cups
Girls
9-13 years old
14-18 years old 		5½ cups
6½ cups
Boys
9-13 years old
14-18 years old 		6½ cups
7 cups
Women
19-50 years old
51+ years old 		6½ cups
5½ cups
Men
19-50 years old
51+ years old 		7 cups
6½ cups