Health experts encourage us to eat five portions of fresh fruit and vegetables a day; they’ve found that people who do so are far healthier than those who don’t.
It’s surprising how easy it is to fit five portions of fruit and vegetables into each day. A serving is only 80 g, which is about half a cup or three tablespoons of chopped vegetables.
A banana, half a large grapefruit or a glass of freshly squeezed fruit counts as one serving, and if you eat a pear, apple or orange as a snack, that’s two servings already. A side salad with your main course is a third serving and a salad as a main course means a massive three points, giving you five servings already.
Tomatoes contain vitamin C and E and small amounts of most B vitamins. They also contain the antioxidant lycopene and the flavonoid known as quercitin. Fresh strawberry juice may help speed recovery from a cold or flu, as they are known to destroy many nasty viruses. They may also help reduce cholesterol and prevent the formation of cancer-causing chemicals called nitrosamines.
Greens are great for goodness, and there are plenty of appetizing ways to prepare them. Broccoli and Brussels sprouts are rich in beta-carotene, a type of vitamin A associated with a lowered risk of cancer. They also contain B, C and E vitamins as well as iron. A small head of broccoli or cauliflower counts as one serving. So does an onion or a couple of small carrots. A large jacket potato or a bowl of vegetable soup notch up two points each.
Colourful food such as apples, oranges, blackberries, carrots and beetroot are rich in antioxidants and flavonoids that help protect and repair our cells and tissues. The more colourful your diet, the less your risk of getting heart disease, cancer and other illnesses, and the nearer you’ll be to your ‘five-a-day target’.
Our Employee Wellbeing Programme (EAP) is available 24 hours a day if you want to know more about nutrition.