fruits

and

vegetables

to help manage

your weight.

How to use

Department of Health and Human Services

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Breakfast: Start the Day Right. 

• Substitute some spinach, onions, or mushrooms

for one of the eggs or half of the cheese in your

morning omelet. The vegetables will add volume

and flavor to the dish with fewer calories than

the egg or cheese.

• Cut back on the amount of cereal in your bowl

to make room for some cut-up bananas, peaches,

or strawberries.You can

still eat a full bowl, but

with fewer calories.

Lighten Up Your Lunch.

• Substitute vegetables

such as lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, or

onions for 2

ounces of the

cheese and 2

ounces of the

meat in your

sandwich,

wrap, or 

burrito.

The new version will fill you up with fewer calories than the original.

• Add a cup of chopped vegetables, such as broccoli,

carrots, beans, or red peppers, in place of 2 ounces

of the meat or 1 cup of noodles in your favorite

broth-based soup. The vegetables will help fill you

up, so you won’t

miss those extra

calories.

Fruits and vegetables are part of a 

well-balanced and healthy eating plan.

There are many different ways to lose or maintain a healthy weight. Using more fruits and vegetables along with whole grains and lean meats,

nuts, and beans is a safe and healthy one. Helping

control your weight is not the only benefit of

eating more fruits and vegetables. Diets rich in

fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of some

types of cancer and other chronic diseases. Fruits

and vegetables also provide essential vitamins and

minerals, fiber, and other substances that are

important for good health.

To lose weight, you must

eat fewer calories

than your body

uses. 

This doesn’t necessarily

mean that you have to

eat less food.You can

create lower-calorie

versions of some of

your favorite dishes by

substituting low-calorie

fruits and vegetables in

place of higher-calorie

ingredients. The water

and fiber in fruits and vegetables will add volume to

your dishes, so you can eat the

same amount of food with fewer calories. Most fruits and vegetables are naturally low in

fat and calories and are filling.

As people become less active, their bodies need

fewer calories. Even if you do not need to lose

weight, you may still need to reduce calories simply to maintain your current weight.

Here are some simple ways to cut calories

and eat fruits and vegetables throughout

your day:

There are

many reasons

why people eat

more food than they

need. Sometimes people

eat to make themselves

feel good. Others may eat

because they are tired and

want a “boost.” This pamphlet does not cover these

reasons for eating. We will

give you tips for eating to

satisfy basic hunger

until you feel full and

do not feel hungry.
Dinner

• Add in 1 cup of chopped vegetables such as

broccoli, tomatoes, squash, onions, or peppers,

while removing 1 cup of the rice or pasta in your

favorite dish.The dish with the vegetables will be

just as satisfying but have fewer calories than the

same amount of the

original version.

• Take a good 

look at your dinner plate.

Vegetables, fruit, and whole grains should take up

the largest portion of your plate. If they do not,

replace some of the meat, cheese, white pasta, or

rice with legumes, steamed broccoli, asparagus,

greens, or another favorite vegetable. This will

reduce the total calories in your meal without

reducing the amount of food you eat. BUT

remember to use a normal- or small-size plate—

not a platter.The total number of calories that

you eat counts, even if a good proportion of

them come from fruits and vegetables.

Smart Snacks

Most healthy eating plans allow for one or two

small snacks a day. Choosing most fruits and vegetables will allow you to eat a snack with only

100 calories.

The fruits and vegetables in the box above all have

about 100 or fewer calories.

Instead of a high-calorie snack from a vending

machine, bring some cut-up vegetables or fruit

from home. One snack-sized bag of corn chips 

(1 ounce) has the same number of calories as a

small apple, 1 cup of whole strawberries, AND 1

cup of carrots with 1/4 cup of low-calorie dip.

Substitute one or two of these options for the

chips, and you will have a satisfying snack with

fewer calories.

About 100 Calories or Less

• a medium-size apple (72 calories)

• a medium-size banana (105 calories)

• 1 cup steamed green beans (44 calories)

• 1 cup blueberries (83 calories)

• 1 cup grapes (100 calories)

• 1 cup carrots (45 calories), broccoli (30

calories), or bell peppers (30 calories) with

2 tbsp. hummus (46 calories)

+

+

=
Remember: Substitution is the key.

It’s true that fruits and vegetables are lower in

calories than many other foods, but they do contain some calories. If you start eating fruits and

vegetables in addition to what you usually eat, you

are adding calories and may gain weight. The key

is substitution. Eat fruits and vegetables instead

of some other higher-calorie food.

Fruits and Vegetables 

for Weight Control

Eat fruits and vegetables the way nature

provided—or with fat-free

or low-fat cooking

techniques. 

Try steaming your

vegetables, using

low-calorie or

low-fat dressings,

and using herbs and

spices to add flavor.

Some cooking techniques, such as breading

and frying, or using high-fat

dressings or sauces will greatly

increase the calories and fat in the dish. And eat

your fruit raw to enjoy its natural sweetness.

Canned or frozen fruits and vegetables are

good options when fresh produce is not

available.

However, be careful to choose those without

added sugar, syrup, cream sauces, or other ingredients that will add calories.

Choose whole fruit over fruit drinks 

and juices.

Fruit juices have lost fiber from the fruit. It is better to eat the whole fruit because it contains the 

added fiber that helps you feel full. One 6-ounce

serving of orange juice has 85 calories, compared

to just 65 calories in a medium orange.

Whole fruit gives you a bigger size snack

than the same fruit dried—for the same

number of calories.

A small box of raisins (1/4 cup) is about 100 calories. For the same number of calories, you can eat

1 cup of grapes.

Want More Information?

Check out these Web sites for more

information about how fruits and vegetables can help you manage your

weight:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

www.cdc.gov/5aday

US Department of Agriculture, Center for

Nutrition Policy and Practice:

www.usda.gov/cnpp

National Cancer Institute:

www.5aday.gov

Produce for Better Health Foundation:

www.5aday.org

www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines

=
Department of Health and Human Services

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity

This brochure is available at

www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa