Are you getting enough?
We’re always quick to encourage our children to eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, to help develop good eating habits, but so many of us seem to work to the “one rule for you, one rule for me” principle and don’t eat enough of them ourselves. National guidelines are clear, we should all have, at least, five portions of furit and veg daily. Research shows only one in five adults in this country do achieve the recommended “five-a-day”. But why is it so important? Well, there are several reasons.
The first reason is that they are fat-free and packed full of essential nutrients including vitamin C, folic acid, and rich in fibre. A diet rich in fruit and veg has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, and probably decreases cancer risk by a fifth too. The second reason is that they fill us up more and, because they are calorie-light, they can help greatly towards losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight thereafter.
Every meal should contain some fruit and veg. It will make your plate much more attractive, the meal taste better, and help you to control your portion sizes. Snacking between meals is a time when many of us succumb to eating more than we should. It’s all too easy. But turning to fruit and veg instead of the biscuit tin can really help you control your food intake. Taking a few chopped carrots to work for a mid-morning break, or some fresh fruit only takes a moments of preparation.
So what’s in a portion? As simple guide, it’s what you can hold in your hand. That could be a medium size fruit, such as an apple, banana, or orange; 150ml of fruit juice; 3 heaped tablespoons of peas or carrots, or a bowl of salad. So, a healthy breakfast cereal, topped with a banana, accompanied by some orange juice means you’ll have had two portions before you even leave the house. A mid-morning piece of fruit, and some salad with lunch and you’re already well on the way to achieving your five-a-day before the day is half through. Anyway, enough for now, must stop, I’m getting hungry. Now where did I leave that apple?
Dr Ian Campbell
Are you getting enough?
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By Dr Ian Campbell October 2010
We’re always quick to encourage our children to eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, to help develop good eating habits, but so many of us seem to work to the “one rule for you, one rule for me” principle and don’t eat enough of them ourselves. National guidelines are clear, we should all have, at least, five portions of furit and veg daily. Research shows only one in five adults in this country do achieve the recommended “five-a-day”. But why is it so important? Well, there are several reasons.
The first reason is that they are fat-free and packed full of essential nutrients including vitamin C, folic acid, and rich in fibre. A diet rich in fruit and veg has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, and probably decreases cancer risk by a fifth too. The second reason is that they fill us up more and, because they are calorie-light, they can help greatly towards losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight thereafter.
Every meal should contain some fruit and veg. It will make your plate much more attractive, the meal taste better, and help you to control your portion sizes. Snacking between meals is a time when many of us succumb to eating more than we should. It’s all too easy. But turning to fruit and veg instead of the biscuit tin can really help you control your food intake. Taking a few chopped carrots to work for a mid-morning break, or some fresh fruit only takes a moments of preparation.
So what’s in a portion? As simple guide, it’s what you can hold in your hand. That could be a medium size fruit, such as an apple, banana, or orange; 150ml of fruit juice; 3 heaped tablespoons of peas or carrots, or a bowl of salad. So, a healthy breakfast cereal, topped with a banana, accompanied by some orange juice means you’ll have had two portions before you even leave the house. A mid-morning piece of fruit, and some salad with lunch and you’re already well on the way to achieving your five-a-day before the day is half through. Anyway, enough for now, must stop, I’m getting hungry. Now where did I leave that apple?