The famous 5 a day
We constantly hear the mantra 5 portions of fruit or vegetables a day will give us the vitamins and minerals we need to stay healthy. But how much is a portion? What can we include on the list?
Is tinned OK? What about frozen?
The best way to get the daily intake of fibre, vitamins and minerals that fruit and veg can provide is eating fresh, the fresher the better and in season, they will have more flavour and be at their best. Don't be fooled into thinking fruit and veg is expensive, sure some of the exotic varieties may be but the majority are not. Visit your local market towards the end of the day you can get some real bargains and if they are in top condition they can be preserved by freezing or bottling, this is a great way of having fruit and vegetables when they are out of season or the quality is poor.
Don't buy heaps of the stuff just to go off in the fridge this will just be self defeating. A little planning can go a long way, not everyone will like the same thing, so try a different type of fruit or veg each week the choice is huge. If you have children then encouraging them to eat veg can be a real challenge. If they have always eaten fruit and veg then it can be easier, try grating carrot into their meal or finely chopped onion,
These can easily be disguised but ideally you want them to see what they are eating so it becomes the norm. Encourage young children to grow some simple veg, mustard and cress on a window sill or a tomato plant in a pot if they can see the fruits of their labour (pun intended) then your half way there. Fresh fruit salads are a great way to encourage children to eat fruit and if you mix it with a little 100% fruit juice then all the better. If you are weaning your baby then it is an ideal time to introduce puréed fruit and veg into the diet.
Scrub don't peel, if you can get away with it, this will increase fibre intake. You can enhance the look of a meal, for instance by peeling stripes on cucumber or used a mini pastry cutter to produce star shapes, or whatever, be imaginative if it looks interesting they will want to try it. Don't forget to save any raw waste to make compost for your allotment.
Tinned fruit and veg can go towards your 5 a day but do remember that they may have added salt or sugar. They are a good way to take advantage of bargains and special offers and obviously a handy way to store food. Frozen fruit and veg is fine and again a good way to store food.
100% fruit juice is good but it only counts as 1 portion regardless of how much you drink in a day, this is because of the small amount of fibre that is present. Smoothies are similar to juices unless all the pulp is present. Pulses and beans only count as one of the five a day regardless of how many you eat, although they are high in fibre they do not provide us with the same mix of vitamins and minerals as fruit or veg.
The following quantities are for adults, children would usually require smaller amounts.
A portion = 80g
For vegetables, that's equivalent to 3 heaped tablespoons of cooked carrots, sweetcorn, peas or broad beans.
For fruit that's equivalent to a 50mm wide wide slice of melon, pineapple,a banana, a handful of grapes or an apple.
Dried fruit that's 3 apricots, 3 prunes, 1 tablespoon of mixed fruit or a handful of mixed fruit chips.
Fruit juice, smoothies 150mlof 100% juice = 1 portion, regardless of how much you drink in a day.
Pulses and beans 80g = 1 portion, regardless of how much you eat in a day.
Because fruit and veg differ in their vitamin, mineral and fibre content it is important that as many different types as possible are eaten, you should really consider 5 as a minimum. They should be part of a balanced diet along with starchy foods such as potatoes, rice, bread, pasta. Oily fish provides important vitamins and minerals and moderate amounts of meat or alternatives, eggs and dairy products. You should also aim for a low salt and sugar consumption.
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