insideSUSSEX Magazine Issue 05 - July 2015 | Page 29

food+drink

Make sure you get your

FIVE A DAY

by Lisamarie Lamb

Back in 2002, a new healthy eating slogan
reached our ears, and was soon tripping off our
tongues. That slogan was ‘five a day’, and it’s
all about eating the right amounts of fruits and
vegetables each day to keep us healthy.
But is it much more than a clever marketing
campaign? Does it actually mean anything, and
is it really possible to get our five a day every
day? And what exactly does it do for us anyway?
To answer the first question, yes, it is more than
a clever marketing campaign – it has given
the country a fresh appreciation for fresh fruit
and veg, and it’s made us aware of just what
we’re eating. At least now we know whether
we’re getting it right or not. And it does mean
something; surveys show that those who eat
more fruit and vegetables on a daily basis have
fewer ailments than those who only eat them
every now and then, if at all. Those who rarely eat
fruit and veg tend to have more digestive issues
(including constipation), vitamin deficiencies
which lead to serious illnesses of the bones,
organs, and brain. Not eating the right amounts
of fruit and vegetables can even lead to high
blood pressure and strokes.
But what does five a day really mean? Five what
a day? How much? When? It could be that you

think you are currently getting your healthy five
a day when in fact you aren’t at all – and those
foods that have words like ‘this counts towards
your five a day’ can be very misleading indeed,
and may in fact only contain a very small amount
of what you really need (sometimes with alarming
salt and sugar levels).
It works the other way too though – there are
drinks that do actually contain exactly what you
need, but again, beware of the additives used
which can outweigh the good effects.
When it comes down to it, five a day means
five portions (that’s 80g fresh, or 30g dried)
of fruit and/or vegetables each day. Potatoes
don’t count as part of your five a day, and
neither do yams, cassava, or plantain but pretty
much everything else does, no matter whether
it’s fresh, frozen, dried, tinned, or made into a
smoothie or juice.
Great news, as you have plenty of options for
enjoying a varied diet and still getting all the good
stuff you need from it. As an example, 80g is
half a large grapefruit, or two satsumas. 30g is a
tablespoons of raisins. A 150ml glass of 100%
fresh fruit juice is one portion (although be aware
that you can’t just drink five 150ml glasses and
be done with it; only the first glass counts).

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It may seem like a lot – especially if you’re not
used to eating much fruit and veg – but it can
easily be done. By adding dried fruit to your
breakfast cereal or a yoghurt; taking a banana,
apple, or handful or cherries as a mid-morning
snack; adding vegetables to otherwise veg-free
(or low veg) dishes (including curries, stews, or
pasta); having a salad sandwich at lunch (you
can still eat meat with it); drinking fresh juice
instead of fizzy pop; or by whizzing up a delicious
smoothie to keep you going until home time, you
can get your five a day, and enjoy it.
The best of the best when it comes to the most
powerful fi fRF