Eating five portions of fruit and vegetables a day is something that we’ve had drummed into us for as long as we can remember. A new study could be about to change all of this…
The study from the University College London examined the diet and lifestyle of 65,000 men and women between 2001 and 2013. The conclusion? Those who ate seven or more portions of fruit and veg a day were reaping in the health benefits. Their overall risk of death was lowered by 42%, while the risk of dying of cancer was slashed by 25%. These figures are in addition to the existing five-a-day benefits, such as a lower risk of stroke, obesity and type 2 diabetes.
While the health benefits are fantastic, the idea of fitting in the extra portions can be a bit daunting. Many people struggle to eat five portions of fruit and veg a day, a guideline that is based on a 25 year old study from the World Health Organisation. The existing guidelines state that you should be eating 400g a day, which works out at five x 80g portions.
Luckily it’s actually a lot easier to eat seven-a-day than you might imagine, since a portion of fruit or veg can come from a whole range of different sources, including:
- Frozen food
- Cooked food
- Fresh food
- Canned food
- Dried food
- Juice
- Vitamin A – Sweet potatoes, spinach, carrots
- Vitamin C – Oranges, red peppers, broccoli
- Calcium – Kale (and other dark, leafy greens)
- Iron – Lentils and beans
- Omega-3 fatty acids – Green vegetables, nuts and seeds