I appeared on BBC Berkshire’s health panel today with Sarah Walker, where one of the items that have been in the press this week is that only one person in five, is actually eating their five- a day recommended amount of fruit and veg!
We discussed why this is when many of us were brought up eating vegetables, and I think the two main reasons are time and cost.
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A piece of fruit or raw vegetables as a snack e.g. apple or carrot sticks
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Two portions in a lunchtime soup (think carrot and lentil) or salad e.g. rocket and cherry tomatoes
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Fruit after lunch e.g. bunch of grapes
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One portion in your evening meal e.g. onions or mushrooms, and two served with your meal e.g. broccoli and peas
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Fruit for dessert e.g. strawberries or baked apple or slice of melon
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Glass of diluted juice
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Banana at bedtime or even in a cake (homemade too really count)!
So what constitutes as a portion? Basically two small fruits such as plums, two/three broccoli spears, three tbsp of vegetables such as peas or carrots, 1 small tin of pulses (baked beans, lentils, etc) or a glass of juice, but note – juice and pulses can only count once. And potatoes don’t count (unless they’re sweet potatoes). Fresh, frozen or tinned fruits and veg count apparently, but I wouldn’t include tinned as most of the nutrients are destroyed in the canning process.
And no, I’m not counting the pineapple on your pizza!