It’s been drilled into our heads since we were little from our parents, taught to us at school by our teachers and regularly promoted to us through advertisements. However, although it is such a well-known and talked about topic, research has revealed only 1 in 4 adults eat their 5 a day.
The World Health Organisation recently concluded that 400g of fruit and vegetables a day was said to decrease the likelihood of developing serious health conditions in the long term, such as; heart disease, stroke and some cancers.
Did you know:
• You should avoid eating dried fruit as a snack throughout the day? It should only be eaten at mealtimes, as it can increase the risk of tooth decay when eaten as a snack. 30g of dried fruit is equivalent to roughly 80g of fresh fruit, (the amount of grams in one serving).
• You should only drink 150ml of fresh smoothies or juices a day, as eating anymore can also affect your teeth.
• Potatoes do NOT count towards your 5 a day – but sweet potatoes, parsnips, swedes and turnips do!
• Fruit and veg does NOT have to be fresh! Frozen, canned, juiced and dried all count to your daily target.
• ONE satsuma does not equal one of your five a day! You need to consume 80g for each serving, which equals to two satsumas, so do some research and get to know the volumes per fruit and vegetable.
• To maximise benefits, try to eat a rainbow of colour when it comes to fruit and vegetables. Each fruit and vegetable contains different fibre, vitamins and minerals so a wide variety is more beneficial than repeatedly eating the same thing.
If you are on budget don’t worry – fruit and vegetables do not have to be expensive. The cheapest way to consume your 5 A Day is to buy your fruit and vegetables loose, buy in season produce and lastly, when supermarkets have offers on, buy double the amount and freeze some!
