Eat 2 plus 5 and stay alive!!

[realfood]

The latest advice is to EAT *2 *PLUS *5 *AND STAY ALIVE!! That is 2 portions of fruit and 5 portions of vegetables a day.

If you have an allotment you have no excuse to not get your 2 plus 5 portions a day. This is about 600 gm total a day.
The latest research from the Health Survey of England analysed data from 65,000 people over 8 years. It shows that eating up to 3 portions of fruit and vegetables a day cuts mortality at any age by 14%.
Eating up to 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day, cuts mortality at any age by 29%.
Eating up to 7 portions of fruit and vegetables a day, cuts mortality at any age by 36%.
Eating 7 or more portions of fruit and vegetables a day, cuts mortality at any age by 42% than those eating less than 1 portion a day.
7 daily portions cuts the risk of heart disease by 31%, and cancer by 25%.
Eating extra vegetables is more healthy than eating extra fruit. This may be due to fruit containing natural sugars. Fruit drinks only count as 1 portion a day, due to the fibre having been removed.

[Dorothy rouse]

I have no problem with this, in fact I can't understand why people don't like veg, if anything green, but just got basically ' told off by a friend cos I shared the 'link', from government article ! I didn't comment just 'shared it', people are strange, at the end of the day, surely a good mixed healthy and varied diet, with loads of fresh fruit and veg, is what's good for us.

[Jeanied]

Oops - by the time I have finished working on the plot I am too tired to cook and eat properly so usually it is a ready meal However I do add extra veg or a salad - tonight it is a jacket potato, salad and some cheese.

7 a day is going to be a challenge for someone like me who only has one cooked meal a day.

[Florence Fennel]

I worked out that today I've had 6 of 7, 5 veg and 1 fruit. A banana after breakfast, tomatoes and peppers in my pasta at lunch and cabbage, carrots and potatoes (if they count) this evening. I'd be pretty hard pushed to get any more than that in a day. Himself only managed potatoes and cabbage as he's not a lover of veg or fruit.

[Alison]

Normal potatoes don't count although sweet ones do. I love fruit and veggies and find it annoying when you go out for a posh meal they give you a big hulk of meat and almost no vegetation. Have had funny looks when I've asked for more.


Sent from my iPad using Grow Your Own Forum

[Dorothy rouse]

Wud be easier if it was over a week,rather than every day, but it's something to aim for I guess.

Do 'profiteroles' count? Chocolate, cocoa beans ? Pushing my luck aren't i ?

[Hazel at the Hill]

That's got me thinking - it's easier in the summer as I have lots of salads, but not so much in winter. Normally I'll have toast for breakfast, omelette or bacon sandwich and a satsuma/apple for lunch, then tea will be meat, potatoes/pasta and two or three veg. So that's not even five - and I thought I had a really balanced/healthy diet.

[lottie dolly]

I would like to know,just how big a 1 portion is,it is made to sound like you gotta have all different veg,surely not,just say 1 portion is a tablespoon,just count them,

[Jeanied]

Just read up - one portion is 80g or 3 oz. Oops that is a fail for me then!

[Potstubsdustbins]

Looking at one of the guys giving the advice I would say its a bit like 'do as I say, not as I do'.

Potty

[Gertrude's Ghost]

I think a portion is 80 grammes for an adult. So 7 portions is 560 grammes - over a pound weight of fruit and veg. Easy in summer for me as I have mixed berries and yogurt for breakfast and a mixed salad for my tea, usually with tinned fish. I don't eat much meat these days. Winter is difficult as berry fruit is imported and usually expensive but not very nice, same with most salad veg. I have to admit I miss my 5-a-day (now 7) if I don't have it.

[greenishfing]

Summer is easy for me as I tend to graze while gardening, radishes, tomatoes, strawberrys, rocket by the handful etc as well as usually a salad or stirfry in the evening but winter is harder although lots of veg go in my stews, and we usually have a couple of veg and potatoes with most meals. Frozen apples, cherries, strawberries and raspberries go in pies, sponges and crumbles.

[Knight of Albion]

Here's a handy webpage explaining what counts as 'one portion'

5 A DAY portion sizes - Live Well - NHS Choices

[Kristen]

Here's a handy webpage explaining what counts as 'one portion'

5 A DAY portion sizes - Live Well - NHS Choices

Pedantic point: that's the old mantra of "5-a-day", yesterday's news was that new research suggests that 7-a-day would be a better target:

BBC News - Seven-a-day fruit and veg 'saves lives'

I heard a spokesman on the radio pooh-poohing it on the basis that the public hadn't yet got the hang of 5-a-day (only 1/3rd of the population achieving it, or something like that) and changing the message would likely confuse people.

Seemed to me that telling people that 7-a-day is the target might mean that some more people, than before, will at least get to 5-a-day ...

[chris]

I find it hard not to eat a minimum of 5 a day? (and I'm not a veggie!)