Fruit and Veg: What's a Portion? - Bodybuilding, Fitness and Health Forum Axiolabs and Syntrop Steroids Board

TrainWiser · **Fruit and Veg: What's a Portion? -** 01-06-2007

Fruit and Veg: What's a Portion?
January 2007

We all know fruit and vegetables are good for you, and you've all probably heard of the campaign '5 a Day!' encouraging us to consume five servings of fruit and vegetables a day, but it's not always obvious as to how these five should be made up. Fruit and vegetables need to be consumed, along with a variety of other quality foods, to ensure you're obtaining adequate amounts of all the vitamins and minerals (collectively known as 'micronutrients') necessary for optimal health. Different fruits and veg are higher in different micronutrients; for example, oranges are packed with vitamin C, carrots are high in vitamin A, leafy green veg contains iron, bananas provide potassium, and so on.

As well as micronutrients, fruit and veg are also major contributors to our intake of dietary fibre. Fibre is needed for a healthy digestive system, and soluble fibres, found in fruits and pulses (like beans and lentils) may also help control our blood cholesterol levels. In addition there are some non-nutritional constituents of food, which may have healthy properties like helping to protect us from some diseases. Some of these are antioxidants which may help quash harmful free-radicals involved in the process of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Consuming a range of fruit and vegetables will help ensure a good intake of these phyto-nutrients.

It can be confusing as to what is meant by a 'portion' so as a general guide, use the list below. Strictly speaking, using the Department of Health criteria for labelling products as '5 a Day', only those foods that contain no added sugar, fat or salt, can count.

° 1 apple, banana, pear, orange or other similar sized fruit
° 2 plums, satsumas, kiwi fruit or other similar sized fruit
° ½ a grapefruit or avocado
° 1 large slice of melon or fresh pineapple
° 3 heaped tablespoons of vegetables, beans or pulses
° 3 heaped tablespoons of fruit salad or stewed fruit
° 1 heaped tablespoon of raisins or sultanas
° 3 dried apricots
° 1 cupful of grapes, cherries or berries
° 1 dessert bowl of salad
° 1 small glass (150ml) of pure fruit juice or smoothie

Although fruit juices count as a serving, they can only contribute to a maximum of one serving per day. This is because although they are great to include as part of a healthy diet, as they do supply vitamins and minerals, they are low in fibre, and soluble fibre is one of the main health benefits of fruit.

The same applies for shop purchased fruit smoothies, as these are often much lower in fibre, and may contain some added sugar. You may have seen that some of these are marketed to provide you with the full '5 a Day', but in reality can only contribute to a maximum of one serving, so beware! However home made smoothies where you use the entire edible portion of a fruit are a great and enjoyable way to consume your fruit!

Many 'experts' advise against dried fruit, saying that it's inferior and just 'simple sugar'. Contrary to what these say, dried fruit is a great inclusion and is a quick, tasty and convenient snack; it's ideal to include!
Pulses, including all beans and lentils, even baked beans, can count, but only as a maximum of one portion per day, no matter how many you eat. Don't forget these are a great source of protein too. Starchy vegetables like potatoes and sweet potatoes, although great, healthy, carbohydrate-providing foods, would not be included in your daily fruit and veg count.

Frozen veg is often better that so-called 'fresh' veg which you buy at supermarkets. This because it's frozen at source and freezing retains all the micronutrients, whereas what you buy 'fresh' has often been stored for months, and a lot of the vitamins and minerals have been lost.
Manufactured soups and sauces and indeed any composite product, at this point in time, the Department of Health's official line is they don't count, as they have yet to develop composite criteria for labelling fruit and vegetables. So in practice I wouldn't count a soup or sauce unless it's homemade, as the processing in manufactured items will have drastically reduced the micronutrient content, and there's likely to be very little fibre.

A thick homemade soup made from puréed veg, on the other hand, eaten fresh, will still retain a great deal of nutrients, and will be a great contribution to your 5 a Day.

Source: The MuscleTalker Issue57