How much fruit and veg should I eating?
Lots of Fruit and veg should make up about a third of the food you eat each day. And it’s also important to eat a variety. Five-a-day is a good, achievable target. If you count your portions each day it might help you to increase the amount you eat.
But what is a portion?
ONE portion = 80g = any of these
1 apple, banana, pear, orange or other similar sized fruit
2 plums or similar sized fruit
½ a grapefruit or avocado
1 slice of large fruit, such as melon or pineapple
3 heaped tablespoons of vegetables (raw, cooked, frozen or tinned)
3 heaped tablespoons of beans and pulses (however much you eat, beans and pulses count as a maximum of one portion a day)
3 heaped tablespoons of fruit salad (fresh or tinned in fruit juice) or stewed fruit
1 heaped tablespoon of dried fruit (such as raisins and apricots)
1 handful of grapes, cherries or berries
a dessert bowl of salad
a glass (150ml) of fruit juice (however much you drink, fruit juice counts as a maximum of one portion a day)
Getting your five portions a day
| BENEFITS OF FRUIT AND PURPLE VEGETABLE |
If you eat one or two portions with each meal and have the occasional fruit snack you might be surprised at how easy it is to eat five-a-day.
At breakfast you could:
–add a handful of dried fruit to your cereal
–eat half a grapefruit or an apple
–drink a glass of fruit juiceAt lunch you could:
–eat a bowl of salad
–have a banana sandwich
–have some fruit saladAt your evening meal you could:
–add vegetables or pulses to your curry, casserole or stir fry
–serve at least two types of vegetables with your fish, chicken or meat
And don’t forget, when you fancy a snack, reach for an apple, banana or perhaps even some dried fruit.
Getting the most out of fruit and vegetable
Some vitamins and minerals can be easily lost when fruit and vegetable are prepared or cooked, so try to remember:
1. Eat fresh fruit and veg as soon as possible rather than storing for a long time – or use frozen instead
2. Don’t overcook. Start with boiling water and cover tightly to keep in the steam, because this speeds up the cooking. You could use a steamer or a microwave
use as little water as possible when you cook fruit and veg. If you use the cooking water for sauce or soup, you’ll recapture some of the lost vitamins and minerals
avoid leaving any vegetables open to the air, light or heat if they have been cut. Always cover and chill them. But don’t soak, because vitamins and minerals can dissolve away
don’t keep food hot for too long because vitamin levels start to drop within a few minutes
Why it’s important
Fruit and vegetables are good sources of many vitamins and minerals, yet most of us don’t eat enough of them.There is mounting evidence that people who eat lots of fruit and veg are less likely to develop chronic diseases such as coronary heart disease and some cancers. And don’t forget, fruit and veg are also very low in fat.
Recommendations
Eat a wide variety of fruit and vegetables and aim for at least five portions a day.
Try to avoid:
1. adding fat or rich sauces to vegetables (such as carrots glazed with butter)
2.adding sugar or syrupy dressings to fruit (such as stewed apple)
I loved to eat fruits most especially those rich in fiber, but sometimes I don’t have time to buy some fresh fruits most especially Litchi because this is one of my favorite fruit. I like this fruit because it is rich in fiber that helps me easily eliminates in the morning. Litchi is one of the best fruit that is rich in fiber and vitamins, that’s why I prefer to take this fruit other than any fruit. But due to busy at work I prefer Litchi juice By Gold Win Agro Foods.