I will be the first to hold up my hands to the fact that I struggle to eat my 5 portions of fruit or vegetables everyday. Being out and about or just choosing to snack on chocolate is my downfall. Also the fact that I originally thought that a portion of fruit or vegetables to make up one portion of my 5 a day would be huge when it actually isn't as I will demonstrate here with some of the more common fruit and vegetables available.
Fruit
2 plums
2 satsumas
2 kiwi fruits
1/2 cup of strawberries
1/2 cup of cherries
1/2 cup of blueberries
1/2 cup of raspberries
1 pear
1 apple
1 banana
1 orange
1 nectarine
1 thick slice of melon
1 thick slice of pineapple
1 tablespoon of dried fruit
1 150ml glass of juice
7 cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon of tomato puree
1/2 cup of grapes
1/2 cup of raw fruit
Vegetables
2 broccoli spears
8 cauliflower florets
4 tablespoons of kale
4 tablespoons of green beans
3 tablespoons of cooked vegetables
3 sticks of celery
1/2 cup of raw vegetables
2 inch piece of cucumber
3 tablespoons of frozen vegetables
3 tablespoons baked beans
3 tablespoons kidney beans
1/2 an onion
1/2 an avocado
1 large pepper
7 slices of beetroot
1 sweet potato
1/2 cup of cabbage
1 cup of spinach
White/brown coloured fruit and vegetables are good at fighting viral, fungal and bacterial infections. Orange/red coloured fruit and vegetables kill disease-causing radicals and can slow down the ageing process. Purple/red coloured fruit and vegetables can help protect against arthritis, help in circulation and again slow down the ageing process. Green coloured fruit and vegetables help protect against cancer and detoxify the body.
With this huge variety and achievable portion sizes, there is no excuse to not manage 5 portions of fruit or vegetables every day even if you are out and about as many of these foods can be eaten on the go. Eating on the go, adding fruit to cereal as well as adding extra vegetables to pasta dishes for example are just a few of the many ways that fruit and vegetables can be incorporated into the diet. I'm determined to make this change and so should you!
Do you struggle to have your 5 a day? How do you manage to have all the portions to make up your 5 a day?