How Many Nuts and Fruits Should You Eat Daily?

For your overall good health, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends 1.5oz of nuts a day (or about 42 grams, or roughly 1/3 cup), which is equal to a small handful. A handful of nuts corresponds to a standard serving size and is approximately equal to:

• 24 shelled almonds
• 14 shelled walnut halves
• 16 cashews
• 20 hazelnuts
• 15 macadamias
• 15 pecans
• 28 peanuts
• 2 tablespoons of pine nuts
• 45 pistachio kernels
• 7 Brazil nuts kernels
• 3 tablespoons of seeds (sunflowers seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds
• mixed nuts: about two of each of the ten nut varieties

A handful of nuts a day keeps the doctor away. Literally.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines recommend the average adult consume two servings of fruit per day. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends adults eat four to five servings of fruit per day. Canada’s Food Guide recommends having at least one serving of fruit (one fruit, or half a cup of fresh, frozen or canned fruits or barriers) at every meal, making 4 servings a day.

Dried fruits are significantly higher in calories and nutrients, smaller servings of them count toward more of your daily intake: a 1/2 cup serving of dried fruit is equal to 1 cup of fresh fruit. If you are on a 2,000-calorie diet, you can consume 2 cups of fresh fruit or the equivalent in canned, frozen or dried fruit to fulfill your daily recommendations.