Why Should I Eat Five Portions of Fruit and Vegetables a Day?

The “five a day” guideline on fruits and veggies is so often quoted that you might never have stopped to think about it.

But perhaps, like me, you’re of a naturally curious (or ornery!) bent, and you wonder just who says it should be five a day, why fruit and vegetables are so important, and what exactly “a portion” means.

Why Five A Day?

The “five a day” target was set by the World Health Organisation (WHO), who found that eating 400g of fruit and vegetables each day was associated with a strong reduction in the risk of various diet-related diseases. (You can read the WHO’s 2003 report Diet, Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases online.)

The 400g figure led the WHO to recommend five portions of 80g (an average-sized serving of fruit or vegetables).

The five a day target is considered particularly important in the developing world, where nutritional deficiencies are much more common than in the developed world – but the five a day target is also important to battle against the global rise in obesity.

Vitamins and Minerals

Fruits and vegetables are rich in vital vitamins and minerals. You’ve probably heard of scurvy, a disease caused by the lack of vitamin C – and cured by eating citrus fruits (oranges, lemons or limes) on a regular basis. There are other diseases caused by a deficiency in various nutrients.

Eating five portions of fruits and vegetables a day doesn’t guarantee that you’ll get the exact right balance of nutrients that you need – but it’ll set you well on your way.

A Minimum Target

It’s important to remember that the five a day target is really a minimum for good health: for consumers in the west, where produce is easily and fairly cheaply available, there’s no reason to stop at five portions.

In the United States, the government currently recommends that adults eat between six and eleven portions of fruit and vegetables each day.

Low Density Foods

If you’re on a diet, increasing your fruit and vegetable intake is one of the easiest ways to satisfy hunger whilst decreasing calories consumed. Fruits and vegetables contain a lot of water, which makes them relatively “chunky” and heavy compared with more calorie-dense options. Just think of the weight of an apple (50 cals for 100g) compared with a chocolate bar (500 cals for 100g).

High in Fibre

Another great reason to pile your plate high with vegetables, or to snack on fruit, is because fruits and veggies are a great source of dietary fibre. This helps to fill you up (by slowing the absorption of food in the stomach), and it also keeps your digestive system working smoothly. Fibre can also help to reduce high cholesterol levels.

What Counts?

Many people get confused over what “counts” as a portion of fruit or vegetables. If you’re making an effort to include plenty of fruit or vegetables at every meal, you don’t need to worry too much about hitting exact targets, but these guidelines should help:

• A “portion” is eighty grams. That’s one smallish apple, two satsumas, or three heaped tablespoons of cooked vegetables.
• Tinned and frozen fruits and vegetables count, as well as fresh, though go for frozen over tinned if possible (the taste is generally better, and more nutrients are preserved).
• Only count one 150ml glass of juice per day – juice isn’t so good for you as eating a piece of actual fruit, since you lose the fibre.
• Pulses and beans only count once per day, since they aren’t generally so varied in nutrient content as fruits and vegetables. They also tend to be quite high in calories in comparison.
• Potatoes and other starchy vegetables (eg. sweet potatoes and yams) don’t count towards the five a day. Think of them as a portion of carbohydrate instead.

One of the best habits you can establish while you’re on a diet is that of eating more fruit and vegetables – doing this will help you lose weight faster, and it’ll help you maintain your weight in the future.