The easy way to “5 a day”

by Sharon Burt

You may have seen adverts for “5 a day” or even seen a “5 a day” portion indicator on pre-packed food, but how many of us actually know what constitutes “5 a day”? The “5 a day” campaign is in fact a Government Initiative to get us (the British public) eating more fruit and vegetables – 5 portions of a mixture a fruit and vegetables each day.

The benefits of eating fruit and vegetables:

Fruit and vegetables are a great source of vitamins and minerals. These elements are essential for the correct functioning of the body, such as the growth and repair of muscle and bones. They also help the immune system to fight of colds and other infections. A variety of fruit and vegetables should be eaten as they all contain different combinations of vitamins, minerals, fibre and other nutrients.

They also contain antioxidants. Antioxidants are molecules that slow or prevent the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that produces free radicals, molecules which start chain reactions that damage cells in the body. Antioxidants remove free radicals, and prevent other oxidation reactions from forming free radicals by being oxidized themselves.

It is unknown if oxidative stress is the cause or a consequence of certain diseases such as heart disease, strokes and some forms of cancer, however a large body of evidence shows that people who eat fruits and vegetables, which are good sources of antioxidants, have a lower risk of heart disease and some neurological diseases.

Fruit and vegetables are a good source of insoluble fibre. Insoluble fibre does not absorb water, and therefore can add bulk to food as it is digested in our intestines, which relieves constipation and helps to make bowel movements easier.

Fibre has been proven to reduce the risks of certain types of cancer, including bowel cancer. It has also been shown to improve glucose tolerance and the insulin response, where blood glucose levels are better able to return to a stable level after a meal due to the release of insulin into the blood. This can reduce the chances of developing diabetes.

Fibre has an impact on the cardiovascular system, reducing hyperlipidemia (high levels of fatty molecules in the blood) hypertension (high blood pressure) and other risk factors that can cause heart disease.

What is a portion?

One portion is 80g of edible fruit or vegetable. For example:

Fruits:

1 medium orange
Half an avocado
9 strawberries
A 2inch/5cm slice of melon
1 heaped tablespoon of mixed dried fruit

Vegetables:

5 spears of fresh asparagus
1 leek (white part only)
3 heaped tablespoons of butter beans
3 heaped tablespoons of carrots
8 brussel sprouts

How do you include 5 a day in your diet?

It is quite easy to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables every day. However, a mixture of nine portions of fruit and vegetables a day is more likely to provide the desired amount of vitamins and minerals the body needs. Here are some examples:

Breakfast (two portions): Slice one medium banana on to breakfast cereal; one 150ml glass of fruit juice

Mid morning snack (one portion): One medium apple

Lunch (three portions): Include a 2inch (5cm) piece of cucumber and 7 cherry tomatoes in a salad; Two kiwi fruit for dessert

Afternoon snack (one portion): Three dates or one tablespoon of raisins

Dinner (two portions): Have one corn on the cob or half a large courgette with your evening meal; Have one large slice of fresh pineapple or two small Satsumas for dessert

Points to remember;

• Do not drink tea when eating fruit and vegetables as this stops the body absorbing iron.

• Only one glass of fruit juice a day is counted as one portion. Fruit juice does not contain the fibre that the body needs.

• Do not over cook vegetables as this will destroy the vitamin C.

• Potatoes, yams, cassava and other related vegetables do not count. These vegetables are counted as starchy foods.

Fruit and vegetables are extremely good for us and there is no limit to how much we can have, so go ahead and enjoy!

For more information about 5 A Day and examples of portions sizes go to www.5aday.nhs.uk.