The NHS and other public health bodies often tell us that we should all be eating our ‘five a day’. This of course means to include more fresh fruits and vegetables in our diets. But what items count (fresh fruit over fruit juice, or fresh peas over canned or frozen?) Let’s find out, and learn better ways to increase our intake of healthy fresh produce. Above is a recipe for blueberry overnight oats (Full of Plants).
Avoid choking hazard fresh produce for children and people with swallowing difficulties (cherries, cherry tomatoes, carrot sticks etc). Read more on keeping people & pets safe in the kitchen. If growing your own food, learn how to make your garden safe for pets (many plants and mulches are unsafe near animal friends).
In fact, England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland lead the world in eating their vegetables and fruits, often as many people grow their own produce, and most of us like nothing better than a plate of cooked veggies with our Sunday roast. But younger children don’t fare so well, which has recently led Tesco supermarket to give away ‘free vegetables’ (or sell them for 1p, as long as they buy a plastic-wrapped smoothie pouch at the same time).
Many low-income areas (the same happens in the US) suffer with ‘food deserts’. You know this kind of thing: a council estate that only has a small-brand supermarket as the main food store (NISA, Spar etc) and the freezer section contains frozen chips and pizzas. And if you’re lucky, you may find some plastic-wrapped non-organic tomatoes and a banana on the ‘fresh aisle’.
Real food communities should be overflowing with regular farmers’ markets (which bring in way more income for local farmers) along with independent food shops (not just overpriced swanky farm shops) and free food initiatives like community orchards (help yourself to free apple windfalls!), community-supported-agriculture (where people pay farmers in advance before the harvest) and volunteer growing outfits where local people literally plant free gardens of produce for anyone to benefit from. Then you have locally-run food banks and even scrumping volunteers (who harvest fruits from landowners with too much fruit, to share with the local community).
You’ll find heaps of inspiration on community food initiatives at this website (just search ‘free food, local food’ in the box above). Although well-intentioned, giant supermarkets giving away ‘free food’ in order to continue profits for stores that decimate local shops and markets, is not the way to end food insecurity.
what counts as a five a day?
air-fryer green beans (Full of Plants)
You’d be surprised, as there are many other options besides eating an organic apple or making a salad. Obviously the reason for eating your five-a-day is to ingest lots of vitamins and minerals. But know that if the produce is sprayed with chemicals or wrapped in plastic, it rather defeats the point (non-organic apples are usually sprayed with shellac – dead insects – to make them look waxy). And pesticides use oil, when we should be giving up fossil fuels. Supermarkets also tend to indirectly use more oil as produce is shipped to central distribution houses and then back again to be stored in big supermarkets (that use oil to light them up all night). Far better for councils to focus on local walkable communities with local markets and produce with zero food miles. Better for people and the planet, and no oil needed. Avoid too many greens (or grapefruit) if you take medication (check paper inserts).
1 portion of your ‘five-a-day’ officially means 80g of a fresh or frozen vegetable (but not white potatoes, more on them later). You can also include tinned fruits and vegetables, as long as they are packed in water or juice, with no added sugar or salt. Dried fruit is not really included (and could cause tooth decay if eaten in excess, save them for ingredients in recipes or occasional snacks).
Fruit juice is basically fruit without the fibre, so it’s not as good and again in excess could cause tooth decay. Rather than drink oodles of fruit juice (which also would not be safe for diabetics), you’re better off investing in a small quality blender with a glass jug, and adding fresh fruits to plant milks (throw in a little spinach if you wish) to make a fresh fruit smoothie (you can add yoghurt or chopped frozen banana to make it thick and creamy). Smoothies are great as quick breakfasts or post-workout snacks.
Surprisingly, NHS also contains beans and pulses as ‘fresh produce’, though only for one portion. So if you like beans on toast for breakfast, you only have four more to go. Or add lentils to your spaghetti dish with tomato sauce in the evening, and that’s another idea to count as one portion.
What’s not included in your five-a-day are miniscule amounts of fruits and vegetables in expensive ready-meals. Most are not that nutritious, and most of these meals also have too much salt, fat and sugar, so the benefits are negated. You can go label-reading if you must, but it’s far easier to just learn to cook your own meals (cheaper too, and likely more tasty with bigger portions). A good example is the aforementioned pasta with tomato sauce. If you are adding fresh fire-roasted tomatoes to make your own sauce, this would count as one portion (tomatoes are actually fruits). But pouring a jar of ready-made tomato sauce on your pasta would not count as one portion (add your own veggies on top).
The same goes for fruits. Buying a ready-made fruit dessert from the supermarket won’t count. But making this fresh strawberry mousse (Full of Plants) would, as it contains lots of fresh strawberries as one of the main ingredients.
what about white potatoes?
Potatoes do contain nutrition (sweet potatoes have more – try these smoked sweet potatoes by Full of Plants), but they don’t count as one of your five-a-day, instead they count as one of your starches. Some people are not keen on the nutrition of potatoes. But like rice and pasta, they form a good ‘base’ of the meal (say with baked beans) and help to keep you full. And homegrown spuds are better than nonstop servings of white pasta or rice. They contain B vitamins and potassium, and lots of vitamin C. And fibre (if you leave the skins on).
The same goes with yams, cassava and plantain (Caribbean and African recipes often use these). However root vegetables (like parsnips, swede and sweet potatoes) do all count, so try serving up sweet potatoes instead for some meals, and indulge in mashed peppered swede and roast parsnips for Sunday lunch.
how much is 80g in portion size?
roasted pears in ginger syrup (Full of Plants)
So we’re all told to eat 80g of each fruit and vegetable. Unless you live by your scales, what is this to eyeball for a recipe? Obviously this can decrease or increase depending on whether you are young or old, fit or sedentary. But as a rough guide, 80g (1 portion) should fit in the palm of your hand:
- 1 medium piece of fruit (apple, pear, peach)
- 2 smaller fruits (plums, apricots, cherries, strawberries)
- Half a larger fruit (these tend to be more tropical – grapefruit, mango, pineapple, melon – cantaloupe melon can carry salmonella, so store away from other foods – treat like meat).
- Dried fruit (only as a snack occasionally – one portion is a heaped tablespoon of raisins or sultanas, 2 figs or 3 prunes).
- If you eat tinned fruit, one portion would be 2 pear or peach halves, 6 apricot halves or 8 segments of tinned grapefruit (choose all packed in natural juice).
- If you eat fresh greens, you’re talking a few heaped tablespoons (spinach cooks down a lot so you can use more). For other cooked veggies, again we’re talking a few heaped tablespoons (carrots, peas, cauliflower etc). Or salad vegetables (a few celery sticks, 1 tomato, a few cherry tomatoes).
NHS Healthy Start Scheme
self-saucing banana pudding cake (Full of Plants)
If you live on a budget, you can apply for NHS Healthy Start Vouchers, which let you buy fruits and vegetables. The scheme also offers dairy milk (something pooh-poohed by nutritionists, as many children are either vegan or lactose-intolerant – including most people of ethnic minority), meaning they are not having the option of free calcium drinks, if their parents are on low incomes.
You can apply online if you qualify for one of the following:
- You are on Universal Credit and over 10 weeks pregnant (or have at least one child under 4 years). Or your monthly take-home pay’ is £408 or less.
- You receive Child Tax Credit (if your family income is £16.190 or less and you don’t get Working Tax Credit)
- You have immigration status (see site for specific details)
The vouchers can be used to buy fresh, tinned and frozen fruits, vegetables and pulses. The Vegan Society has also criticised the scheme for being discriminatory, for only offering a supplement made with vitamin D from animal fat.
