With so many food choices and a lack of nutritional education, it cannot be apparent when it comes to healthy food choices. Here is a rundown of all you need to know about the USDA daily intake recommendations for fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy, and protein.

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Note: these are the recommended serving sizes and guidelines from the USDA. For more information, visit Choose My Plate. All individuals have different dietary needs. Consult your doctor or a registered dietitian before beginning any nutrition plan.

Fruits

The USDA states that a serving can be 100% fruit juice, fresh, canned, frozen, dried, whole, cut up, or pureed. The recommendation for a serving of fruit can be one to two cups daily. Individual needs may vary based on age, gender, and physical activity habits.

Vegetables

Vegetables are categorized a little differently than fruits. There are dark green vegetables (i.e., kale and spinach), starchy vegetables (i.e., potatoes and sweet potatoes), beans and peas, red and orange vegetables (i.e., peppers and carrots), and then the rest that do not fall under these categories. Serving vegetables may be fresh, dried, frozen, whole, cut up, raw, or cooked. The recommended daily intake of vegetables is 1-3 cups. Again, the USDA recommends that individual needs may vary based on age, gender, and physical activity.

Grains

There are two different types of grains: whole grains and refined grains. Whole grains (i.e., wheat flour, oatmeal, brown rice) are less processed and have the nutrients intact but may not be as smooth and delicate in texture.

Refined grains (i.e., white flour, white bread, white rice) have already been milled and processed, which removes the germ and bran. Typically this creates a much smoother texture and increases the shelf life of products made with refined grains. This sounds nice, but it also removes many B vitamins, fiber, and iron during this process. These nutrients, except wool, are often added back into refined grains, known as enriched.

The USDA recommended daily intake of grains should be between 3 oz and 8 oz, with at least half of the daily intake being whole grains. One large bagel equals 4 oz of grains or 1/2 cup of oatmeal. Individual needs may vary based on age, gender, and physical activity.

Dairy

Dairy products are high in calcium and include milk, yogurt, cheese, or calcium-fortified soymilk. The recommended daily intake is between 2-3 cups of low-fat or fat-free options, which may vary based on age, gender, and physical activity. The diary is also a source of food sensitivities, so dairy is unnecessary as long as you get calcium. Consult with your doctor or dietitian for ways to get calcium in your diet if dairy is a food sensitivity for you.

Protein

Protein is essential for producing cells, enzymes, and hormones in the body. Protein can be sourced from meat, beans, eggs, nuts, and seeds. The recommended daily intake is 2-6 1/2 oz of protein daily. Remember that individual needs vary based on age, gender, and physical activity. Most children need approximately 2-4 oz, while adults need about 5-6 oz protein.

Creating a Balanced Plate

A balanced meal should contain approximately 1/4 protein, 1/4 grains, and 1/2 vegetables. This is just a suggestion for an easy visual for a balanced meal. Fruits can be incorporated into your daily intake through snacks or a smaller portion replacing vegetables. Individual needs vary; not every meal needs fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy, and protein. But rather a balance throughout the day of getting in the daily recommended intake. By learning your needs for each category based on age, gender, and physical activity level, you can determine what portion sizes you need each day. Once you choose how much each you need, you can select a strategy to get those portion sizes throughout the day.

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