5 a day

[DaisyNonna]

How do you manage or even work out 5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day if you are not a vegetarian?

I portion of salad leaves (according to the co-op) is 100gr.
cherry tomatoes is 7
peas is 3 tablespoons

I am urged to eat more fibre, so much of my diet should be carbohydrate, I need protein.

Have repeatedly asked my doctor to see a dietician (need a low fat diet) only to be told: Just follow the government guide lines.

Help!

[boxtops]

5 a day's been debunked now, hasn't it? I count a portion as what'll fit in the palm of my hand.

[pdust]

I find it easy to eat loads of fruit and veg but ive never tried to work out if im eating at least 5 a day as the amount i do eat is probably way over that. We always make a big salad with our main meal, we eat fruit at breakfast, snack on fruit in the day and usually my fella sorts out a big plate of fruit or something like sliced peppers and cherry tomatoes, for sharing watching tv on a evening. I drink juice a fair bit too

[rowanwitch]

The guidelines recommended only one portion in liquid form (you get 2 in a smoothie as some of the fibre is undamaged in processing) but if you have a smoothie you can't count the juice... less porridge chuck in a chopped banana and some chopped dried apricots but generally a tablespoon of most things isn't a portion even if it is your portion call it a half... and have more halves during the day. some of the fruitiest yoghurts have about a portion in.... and a good dollop of ketchup is half a portion too

[China Doll]

I find it quite difficult but mainly because I don't really eat between meals that much so having fruit or veg as snacks doesn't really work for me. I can't drink too much fruit juice and prefer water anyway (that at least I do get my daily amount of).

Don't get me wrong, I love my food and can eat quite a lot at actual meal times. Our dinners nearly always consist of peppers, onions and mushrooms in some form, (base for pasta sauces, currys, stir frys etc) and I really like green beans. I also tend to eat soup for lunch which usually counts or adds to my veg intake and I have fruit for pudding at lunch time, I also try to eat fruit at about 3pm but if I don't feel hungry then I often forget. I think if you actually focus properly on it then it is probably quite easy to do but it's not something I get too worked up about really.

[vodkancoke]

You say you have porridge in the morning, chuck a handful of blueberries or rasperries or strawberries or a chopped banana on top and that's 1 of your 5 a day. Having a glass of OJ means by 9am you have had 2 of your 5 a day. Have a ham salad/ chicken salad/tuna salad wholewheat sandwich and you are getting your fibre and at least one other portion of fruit and veg and I'm sure you would find it easy to have 2 portions of veg on your plate for dinner.

To be honest I don't think it's something to get worried about....they are only guidelines.

[Squitty]

I treat it as tosh! the best thing is to be aware and just eat more fruit and veg and just eat as much as suits you - they give different 'slogans' in different countries.

http://www.who.int/di.../gs_fv_ppt_mmeyer.pdf