Fruit and vegetables are part of a healthy, balanced diet and can help us stay healthy and therefore It’s important that we eat enough of them.
Evidence shows there are significant health benefits to getting at least five 80g portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day.
The 5 A Day campaign is based on advice from the World Health Organisation, which recommends eating a minimum of 400g of fruit and vegetables a day to lower the risk of serious health problems, such as heart disease, stroke and some cancers.
Five reasons to eat five portions of fruit and veg
- Fruit and vegetables are a good source of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C and potassium.
- They’re an excellent source of dietary fibre, which can help to maintain a healthy gut and prevent constipation and other digestion problems. A diet high in fibre can also reduce your risk of bowel cancer.
- They can help to reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke and some cancers.
- Fruit and vegetables contribute to a healthy, balanced diet.
- Fruit and vegetables taste delicious and there’s so much variety to choose from.
What is classed as a portion?
The term portion is a very vague term, however the minimum recommended adult in take is 5 lots of 80g or a single piece of fruit.
Children should also eat at least five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables a day. The amount of food a child needs varies with age, body size and levels of physical activity. As a rough guide, one portion is the amount they can fit in the palm of their hand.
To get tips on how to reach five a day please click on the link below;