Portions Of Fruit And Vegetables A Day

[mikey4444]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-26818377

Apparently only about 33% of us eat 5 pieces of fruit and veg a day, and now some researchers have suggested that we should up this to 7 a day. I work on the Welsh Health Survey and its apparent that the majority of adults in Wales barely make the 5 a day. Its always puzzled me why this figure is so low, but I suspect that many people are not counting their daily intake properly. When I point out that potatoes are vegetables, they respond by saying that they always eat plenty of them.

How many here on AB eat the required amount ?

[Retrochic]

Surely these 'experts' have to factor in lifestyle. I may be making presumptions here but if you ARE eating five a day then its more than likely as well as that you are doing exercise and following a healthier lifestyle? If you sat on a couch all day stuffing yourself with fruit and veg would you be healthier than someone with a very active lifestyle but who didn't, for whatever reasons, eat very little fruit or veg? I don't think you can focus on just one aspect of an presumed healthier lifestyle and say if you do that, eat that or abstain from that, you will live longer

[Sqad]

Retrochic.......;-)

[ToraToraTora]

but do spuds in the form of chips count mikey? I know that baked beans apparently count.

[Retrochic]

sorry mikey4444 I've just realised I haven't actually answered your posted question. In winter I do some days struggle to eat enough vegetables and I very rarely eat fruit. In the summer I almost live on fresh veggies from my garden so its swings and roundabouts.

[237SJ]

I manage about 2 portions a day, if I`m lucky. I`m not going to stress about it - if I die, I die.

[mikey4444]

Children need to be offered lots of different foods, otherwise they grow up to be faddy. But I can't remember my family or others kids that we knew, to not like fruit, like strawberries, blackberries, etc.

Excluding potatoes, that appears not to be on the list but seem to be good for you anyway, if people don't eat any veg, what do they have instead ?

I have heard the argument about the cost of fruit and veg to poorer people and I have some sympathy, although carrots, apples, etc seem reasonably cheap in my local Lidl, or any other supermarket for that matter. I think people are choosing not to eat these things, rather than can't afford them.

Its just common sense to me to eat a varied diet.

[ummmm]

My nephew eats barely any veg. Sweetcorn and at a push he'll eat carrots. He has extra meat and spuds.

[weecalf]

This portion bit bothers me .Do we eat a portion then throw the rest away or can you have 2 /3 portions from the one .I think its the bbc putting this about to give them a topic for their breakfast programme .

[mikey4444]

TTT and others...not sure about chips. I don't think there is widespread agreement amongst the world nutritionists about what exactly constitutes a varied diet. It would depend on location and culture of course

I remember Jamie Oliver saying that when he went to Africa for some charity thing, he thought that people who had access to food probably had a better diet than some people back home. This was mentioned in that program he did about school dinners. Another thing I remember about that program is that one of the women he was showing how to cook basic meals at home didn't know that when water was boiling in a pan, bubbles came to the surface !
I recall Jamie used a very rude word at that point !

[leahbee]

I personally never eat fruit and never have but after reading these scare stories I thought that I should try again.
Went to supermarket and bought two apples and was amazed that they cost £1.20.

[pastafreak]

I can see the need for eating more veggies...but fruit not so much. We are being told to cut down on sugar intake,and fruit is very high in sugar...some types more so than others. I tend to stick to berries,as they are lowest in sugars of all fruits.

[royfromaus]

TTT and others...not sure about chips.



No (I thought I had already made this clear)

[mikey4444]

I have a friend in the West Country who makes his own cider, and he has a rule that he never drinks any water until its been through an apple first !

[mikey4444]

leahbee...I am intrigued ! Have you never eaten fruit, ever ? Nor eaten jam, or marmalade, or apple pie ? If so, why ?

[rockyracoon]

The health taliban are at it again, they get on my friggin nerves, one minute it's do this then another it's do that. To up the amount you should eat from 5 to 7 when most people barely eat the 5 will probably be counterproductive as some just won't bother at all, and bear in mind the cost for a family allowing for 7 different portions which can't include potatoes and should be different colours of the rainbow!

You 'll be eating the same bloody stuff everyday.

[woofgang]

ha ha rockyracoon for best answer!

[royfromaus]

To answer your question, yes I eat more than the required amount. It is very easy to do so, laziness is the main reason most people don't!

[rockyracoon]

Of course it's not, there's nothing lazy about not wanting to put horrible tasting stuff into your mouth.

And just to add, I do eat most fruit and veg.

[royfromaus]

So most people think fruit and veg are 'horrible tasting stuff'?

I don't think so, rockyracoon.

[ludwig]

I know chimpanzees that don't eat 7 portions of fruit and veg a day.