Should I really eat “5 a day”?

Posted by Charlotte James on Jan 15, 2012 in Healthy Eating | 0 Comments

Home > Nutrition > Healthy Eating > Should I really eat “5 a day”?

five a day

Most experts will tell you that in order to stay healthy and maintain your weight, you need to eat 5 portions (80g per portion) of fruit and vegetables every day. But is this really necessary?

It may sound like a tall order – 400g of fruit and vegetables – but yes, it is important that you try to eat these every day.

And here is why:

They are an excellent source of dietary fibre, providing you with the roughage to keep your gut healthy and prevent constipation
Eating plenty of fruit and vegetables can lower your risk of developing heart disease, strokes, type II diabetes and cancer
Low in fats and calories, they can help you to maintain a healthy weight, overcome obesity and remain full between meals

Now, whilst potatoes and cassava may not count towards your 5 a day (due to their high starch content); it is actually quite easy to slot this amount of fruit and vegetables into your diet.

Fresh, frozen, dried or included in soups, stews or pasta, you may find that you are eating most of your 5 a day already.

How can I make sure I’m getting my 5 a day?

If you’re worried that you are not getting your 5 a day, then the following tips can help you to stay healthy and prevent weight gain.

Cook from scratch– it can be easy to get caught up by the simplicity of ready meals, but these are notoriously high in sugar, salt and fat. So even if they do contain fruit/vegetables, they may be hindering your health in other ways.Instead, try to cook your meals from scratch and make them in bulk so you can store them in your freezer. By cooking from scratching you can monitor your ingredients, keep track of how many (and how much) fruit and vegetables you are eating and to top it off, ensure you are not consuming too many calories.
Experiment with smoothies - a clever way to get your 5 a day is to create your own smoothies. Now depending on how you make them, you can get a maximum of 2 portions a day and benefit from a delicious, filling, low calorie drink.
Make your own fruit drink – fruit juice can count towards 1 of your 5 a day (no matter how much you drink), although you will be getting less dietary fibre compared to having a smoothie.

What does and doesn’t count towards my 5 a day?

Remember how I told you potatoes and cassava don’t count towards your 5 a day because they are considered to be a starchy food? They are not alone…

There are other vegetables too which you cannot include:

Vegetables that DON’T count: potatoes, yams, cassava, plantain

Vegetables that DO count: sweet, parsnips, Swedes, turnips

What counts as 1 portion?

You would think that 1 carrot, 1 apple or 1 melon would all equate to 1 portion, but unfortunately it is not that straight forward. Instead, you should judge your fruit and vegetable portions based on the following:

1 apple, banana, pear, orange or other similar sized fruit
2 plums, satsumas, kiwi fruit or other similar sized fruit
½ a grapefruit or avocado
1 large slice of melon or fresh pineapple
3 tablespoons of vegetables, beans or pulses
3 tablespoons of fruit salads
1 tablespoon of raisins or sultanas
3 dried apricots
1 cupful of grapes, cherries or berries
1 dessert bowl of salad
150ml glass of pure fruit juice

And there you have it!

Everything you need to get you started towards having your 5 a day, and experiencing a healthy lifestyle. So take a look at your diet, and see where you may be missing out.

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About the Author

Charlotte James

Charlotte is the main curator of our Slimming Advice section, she works with a range of guest authors as well as fitness experts to moderate and produce all the guides, advice and news on the Slimming Advice Blog.