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California State University, Long Beach
Health Resource Center, Student Health Services
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Nutrition

Basket of fruitMAXIMIZE WHAT YOU EAT!

Health Benefits of Fruits and Vegetables

  • Eating more than 5 cups of fruits and vegetables daily is recommended for optimal health.
  • Eating more than 5 cups of fruits and vegetables daily reduces cancer risks by half
  • Fruits and vegetables are an excellent source of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.
  • They are fat free and high in fiber and water

grainsEat more Whole Grains

  • Eat whole grains instead of empty carbs.
  • Substitute brown rice or wild rice for white rice
  • Eat wheat bread instead of white
  • Eat whole wheat pasta instead of white pasta

Cheese and milkEat calcium rich foods

  • Drink low fat milk with meals
  • Drink smoothies made with yogurt at home
  • Eat cereal and drink all the milk poured

FishEat lean meats high in protein

Most Lean Beef:

  • Chuck shoulder, round eye, top round, top loin, top sirloin

Most Lean Pork:

  • Pork loin, tenderloin, ham

Most Lean Chicken:

  • Skinless chicken breast, or take the skin off

Most Lean Ground Beef:

  • Choose 90% lean or higher when available
Recommended Caloric Intake
Age Sedentary Active
Males Calories Calories
19–30 2,400 3,000
31–50 2,200 3,000
51+ 2,000 2,800

Portion Sizes

Match the Caloric Range Number in the Portion Sizes table below. To find your ideal caloric intake:
  • Find out your Calorie range
Daily Amount of Food from Each Group (Table 1)
Calorie Level 1,000 1,200 1,400 1,600 1,800 2,000
Fruits
 1 cup 1 cup 1.5 cups 1.5 cups 1.5 cups 2 cups
Vegetables
 1 cup 1.5 cups 1.5 cups 2 cups 2.5 cups 2.5 cups
Grains
3 oz–eq 4 oz–eq 5 oz–eq 5 oz–eq 6 oz–eq 6 oz–eq
Meat and Beans
2 oz–eq 3 oz–eq 4 oz–eq 5 oz–eq 5 oz–eq 5.5 oz–eq
Milk
 2 cups 2 cups 2 cups 3 cups 3 cups 3 cups
Oils
 3 tsp 4 tsp 4 tsp 5 tsp 5 tsp 6 tsp
Discretionary calorie allowance
 165 171 171 132 195 267
Daily Amount of Food from Each Group (Table 2)
Calorie Level 2,200 2,400 2,600 2,800 3,000 3,200
Fruits
 2 cups 2 cups 2 cups 2.5 cups 2.5 cups 2.5 cups
Vegetables
 3 cups 3 cups 3.5 cups 3.5 cups 4 cups 4 cups
Grains
 7 oz–eq 8 oz–eq 9 oz–eq 10 oz–eq 10 oz–eq 10 oz–eq
Meat and Beans
 6 oz–eq 6.5 oz–eq 6.5 oz–eq 7 oz–eq 7 oz–eq 7 oz–eq
Milk
 3 cups 3 cups 3 cups 3 cups 3 cups 3 cups
Oils
 6 tsp 7 tsp 8 tsp 8 tsp 10 tsp 11 tsp
Discretionary calorie allowance
 290 362 410 426 512 648

Fruits and Vegetables

Vegetable Subgroup Amounts are per Week

Weekly Amount of Fruits and Vegetables
Calorie Level 1,000 1,200 1,400 1,600 1,800 2,000
Dark green vegetable
1 c/wk 1.5 c/wk 1.5 c/wk 2 c/wk 3 c/wk 3 c/wk
Orange vegetable
.5 c/wk 1 c/wk 1 c/wk 1.5 c/wk 2 c/wk 2 c/wk
Legumes
.5 c/wk 1 c/wk 1 c/wk 2.5 c/wk 3 c/wk 3 c/wk
Starchy vegetable
1.5 c/wk 2.5 c/wk 2.5 c/wk 2.5 c/wk 3 c/wk 3 c/wk
Other vegetable
3.5 c/wk 4.5 c/wk 4.5 c/wk 5.5 c/wk 6.5 c/wk 6.5 c/wk
Calorie Level
2,200 2,400 2,600 2,800 3,000 3,200
Dark green vegetable
3 c/wk 3 c/wk 3 c/wk 3 c/wk 3 c/wk 3 c/wk
Orange vegetable
2 c/wk 2 c/wk 2.5 c/wk 2.5 c/wk 2.5 c/wk 2.5 c/wk
Legumes
3 c/wk 3 c/wk 3.5 c/wk 3.5 c/wk 3.5 c/wk 3.5 c/wk
Starchy vegetable
6 c/wk 6 c/wk 7 c/wk 7 c/wk 9 c/wk 9 c/wk
Other vegetable
7 c/wk 7 c/wk 8.5 c/wk 8.5 c/wk 10 c/wk 10 c/wk

Body Mass index

To find out your Body Mass index (BMI):

  • Find out your height in Inches (60” is 5’0”)
  • Then find the weight that corresponds to you
  • The BMI will be above the Weight #
Body Mass Index

BMI
(kg/m2) 		19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 35 40
Height
(in.)		 Weight (lb.)
58 91 96 100 105 110 115 119 124 129 134 138 143 167 191
59 94 99 104 109 114 119 124 128 133 138 143 148 173 198
60 97 102 107 112 118 123 128 133 138 143 148 153 179 204
61 100 106 111 116 122 127 132 137 143 148 153 158 185 211
62 104 109 115 120 126 131 136 142 147 153 158 164 191 218
63 107 113 118 124 130 135 141 146 152 158 163 169 197 225
64 110 116 122 128 134 140 145 151 157 163 169 174 204 232
65 114 120 126 132 138 144 150 156 162 168 174 180 210 240
66 118 124 130 136 142 148 155 161 167 173 179 186 216 247
67 121 127 134 140 146 153 159 166 172 178 185 191 223 255
68 125 131 138 144 151 158 164 171 177 184 190 197 230 262
69 128 135 142 149 155 162 169 176 182 189 196 203 236 270
70 132 139 146 153 160 167 174 181 188 195 202 207 243 278
71 136 143 150 157 165 172 179 186 193 200 208 215 250 286
72 140 147 154 162 169 177 184 191 199 206 213 221 258 294
73 144 151 159 166 174 182 189 197 204 212 219 227 265 302
74 148 155 163 171 179 186 194 202 210 218 225 233 272 311
75 152 160 168 176 184 192 200 208 216 224 232 240 279 319
76 156 164 172 180 189 197 205 213 221 230 238 246 287 328

BMI Ranges:

  • 18.5 and under is considered Underweight
  • 18.5-24.9 is considered Normal
  • 25-29.9 is considered Overweight
  • 30-39 is considered Obese
  • 40 and above is considered Extremely Obese

References: