We all know we should be eating more fruits and vegetables, right? So why do we find it so hard to incorporate them into our diet? The current recommendation is to eat at least five portions of fruits and vegetables each day for optimum health. However, recent studies have shown that actually seven is the magic number, with four to five being vegetables and two to three being fruits. Studies also show that less than one third of adults in the UK regularly get the suggested minimum of five a day, so you can imagine there is an even smaller amount getting seven!
What are the benefits of getting your seven-a-day?
Generally speaking, eating seven portions of fruits and veg per day reduces your risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer. Fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of dietary fibre, which helps maintain a healthy gut and a healthy weight. They also provide a variety of micronutrients, vitamins and minerals. Fun fact: different colours provide different nutrients! This is why focusing on having a colourful plate is so beneficial. Plus, it keeps things interesting so you aren’t choosing the same foods over and over again. So, how can we actually do this?
Here are some practical ways to incorporate more fruits and veg into your diet:
- Try to have at least one portion of vegetables on your plate at every meal! You can do this by adding leafy greens or peppers to your morning eggs, lettuce, tomato and cucumber to your sandwich at lunch, and some cooked vegetables alongside your dinner.
- Make your plate as colourful as possible to get as many different micronutrients as possible.
- Incorporate fruit and veg into your morning and afternoon snacks. Be sure to supplement this with fat or protein to keep you full for longer. Try a banana or an apple with peanut butter, a handful of berries and nuts, or carrots, celery, cucumber or bell peppers with hummus.
- Try a protein packed and colourful smoothie for breakfast or a snack! This is a super easy way to incorporate more fruits and even vegetables if you sneak in a handful of greens! Our go-to formula is a handful of spinach, ½ a banana, a handful of berries, protein powder or greek yoghurt, plus a fat source of your choice (chia, flax, or hemp seeds, peanut butter or almond butter) blended up with water or milk of your choice. Yum!
Let us know if you give any of these a try!
For more resources, please visit the NHS website.
