Fruit and vegetables:
- Are packed with vitamins and minerals;
- Help reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and some cancers;
- Are a great source of fibre, which helps to keep your gut healthy and prevent constipation;
- Can help maintain a healthy weight, they are low in fat and calories and can help fill you up;
Fresh, frozen, dried, tinned or 100% juice all count!
As all fruit and vegetables have different vitamins and minerals in them, try to ‘eat a rainbow’ by eating a variety of fruit and vegetables.
What is a portion?
A portion of fruit or vegetables is 80g, which is roughly what you can fit in the palm of your hand.
- Fresh fruit: 2 small fruits e.g. plums, 1 medium e.g. apple or ½ large fruit e.g. grapefruit;
- Dried fruit: 1 tablespoon raisins, sultanas etc.;
- Tinned and frozen fruit: Same portion size as fresh;
- Juiced fruit: 150ml of 100% juice or smoothie (only counts once a day);
- Green veg: 2 broccoli spears, 4 heaped tablespoons of greens or beans;
- Cooked veg: 3 heaped tablespoons, e.g. carrots, peas;
- Salad: 5cm (thumb length) piece cucumber, 7 cherry tomatoes;
- Pulses and beans: 3 heaped tablespoons e.g. baked beans, kidney beans, lentils (only count once a day).
Did you know?
- Potatoes, cassava and yam don’t count as a fruit or vegetable portion.
- To protect your teeth from the sugar that is naturally in dried fruit, they are best eaten as part of a meal rather than as a snack.
- Choose tinned fruit in juice rather than in syrup and tinned vegetables or beans in water rather than in brine.
By eating at least five portions of a variety of fruits and vegetables a day, you will feel better, and give your body essential nutrients that it needs to maintain overall long-term health.
Download this resource:
