5-a-day

[Rabidbun]

Blech, came back cause it didn't register my vote! Just had a look at the poll though and am very impressed with the 9 and above folks - how do they manage it!? I should probably try and cook more meals with just veggies, but somehow I always end up relying on starches and meats more.

My health is intimately connected to how well I eat - I manage Crohn's Disease using diet alone - so you may not count potatoes and the likes, but I certainly do, I know that if I miss out their nutrients I will get ill ! (Leafy veg and potatoes for maintenance of health, carrots and sweet potato for stopping inflammation, squash and cucurbits to improve longer-term

I never knew carrots and sweet potato were good for inflammation, will give those a go!

(I do the same with my Crohn's but I haven't gotten around to looking at anti inflammatories. Any links you could PM me? )

[StephenH]

I aim for five a day, but don't always succeed. I probably average four a day, which is what I voted in the poll. Hopefully, when I'm harvesting my own produce later in the year (I'm just starting to harvest peas and broad beans, but not a lot yet), I'll manage more.

I don't suppose beer counts, does it? It does contain significant amounts of B-vitamins, after all!

[jackie j]

Mine is 6 - 8 as we eat mainly a vegetarian diet.

[Bren In Pots]

I went for 6-8 portions but that's only in summer time, in winter its probably 4.

[Matt.]

I recon 6-8 but this is more like doubling up of four portions. I never know the weight but having once tried weight watchers I'd say everything I eat is normally twice the recommended size...

[purplekat]

Someone told me that in America the recommended amount of veg a day is 7 portions! But there isn't even enough fruit and veg in the country for everyone to eat 5 a day. Madness. Maybe the White House veg garden will make up some numbers??

Why Five a Day?

The Department of Health recommended '5 a Day' after numerous studies demonstrated the benefits of including good amounts of fruit and veg each day, and after surveys which indicated that intakes are declining. They were originally going to call it the '5-8 a Day' campaign but this didn't roll off the tongue and five is a practically much more achievable figure than eight (see plan below); eight servings would just be too intimidating for the not-so-health-conscious amongst us. Many other European Governments recommend an absolute minimum of five, and some go as far as suggesting eleven, from evidence based on protection against heart disease and some cancers.

For optimal health, therefore, five portions a day is not enough, especially if you partake in regular hard exercise. The ideal practical amount seems to be seven or eight portions of fruit or vegetables, made up from a variety of different choices spread through the day. The following plan provides some examples of practical ways for those who take part in sport and exercise frequently to consume an adequate amount of fruit and veg per day. You'll see the total is a whopping ten portions, so this gives plenty of ideas to consume seven or eight.

quote from here
Fruit and Veg in Health and Fitness

[sternyboy]

Well mine was 3 yesterday, so I put that, but the day before it was much more if you include the following:

1 pint apple cider
1 pint pear cider
1 portion of tomato ketchup
Toast with rasberry jam
1 bar of Cadbury's fruit and nut
1 bag Haribo Fizzy Cherries

They all count right? ...Right?

I like your thinking

[solway cropper]

Statistically, people who worry about eating five a day are more likely to have health problems than those who just eat what's put in front of them. That figure of 5 a day was just plucked from the air and has no scientific basis. All we can say is that people who have a varied diet which contains fresh fruit and veg are more likely to be healthy. I don't count portions I just eat what I like. Today, for instance I've picked fresh peas and broad beans and eaten them straight from the pod, as well as a couple of raw carrots straight from the ground and a handful of blackcurrants. I bet there was more goodness there than in 5 portions of stuff that's been sat on a supermarket shelf for days. That's the great thing about growing your own...you can just go outside and eat stuff....and forget about counting.

[reetnproper]

I voted 5 but that's the least amount we tend to have. Both my husband and 2yr old daughter have problems with their digestive systems that means that we HAVE to have at least 5 portions every day otherwise they (and the rest of the household in my husbands case ) soon know about it.

That's one of the reasons we decided to start growing our own. The cost of fresh produce was so expensive. The week before I started to harvest my salads, we spent £12 just on salad ingredients to last a couple of days . Now we can have salads comprising Rocket, Land Cress, Lollo Rossa, Iceburg, Cos leaves, Radish, Spring Onions, Beetroot and carrot, everyday if we want to and only have to buy tomatoes (ours are still 2-3 weeks of) and cucumber (we have 3 nearly ready and several dozen more forming).

Regards
Reet
xx

[sarraceniac]

I put 3 until I read the bit about starchy foods not counting so that disqualifies my Black pudding, chips and baked beans. Nice to know my slice of lemon or olive in the litre of martini counts though.

[Cosmo and Dibs]

I think I eat around 3-4 a day, but it varies.

Can you 'OD' on fruit/veg? I ate 4 bananas yesterday!

[Noodles]

I put 3 until I read the bit about starchy foods not counting so that disqualifies my Black pudding, chips and baked beans. Nice to know my slice of lemon or olive in the litre of martini counts though.

Baked beans do actually count as one of your 5 a day! (3 heaped tablespoons is one portion).

Portion Sizes - 5 A DAY