Seven a day?

[Alan H]

Did anyone see the news about eating seven pieces of fruit and veg a day? It seems to be all over the media, but here's a very sensible and cautious analysis of it: SHOULD WE EAT 7 PORTIONS OF FRUIT AND VEG A DAY?

[Altfish]

I thought this was an April Fool when I first heard it (still not 100% sure it isn't) - it's only 5-minutes ago since we were told about 5-a-day

[Alan H]

I thought this was an April Fool when I first heard it (still not 100% sure it isn't) - it's only 5-minutes ago since we were told about 5-a-day

Not sure five-a-day is all that sound, but I think it's clear that eating more fruit and veg is definitely good for you. But this study does highlight the difficulties in distinguishing correlation from causality.

[Dave B]

I try to keep my fruit and veg intake up (tends more towards the fruit though I admit, that is easy). Partly a nod towards the prevailing propaganda, keep the red meats low, eat a varied diet including both white and oily fish etc.

But, we are often told that we are not, biologically, that far from "cave men", let's say anyone in the past 50,000 years. I wonder just how much vegetable matter they consumed? Or carbs for that matter.

Meat, mostly red and roast over a fire or smoked with all the carcinogens built in, would have been high on the menu. They would have consumed a lot more energy than us simply living so they also went for fats. Sugars, fruit, honey etc., were luxuries, some seasonal, and you grabbed and gobbled as much as possible when it was going, no freezers or vacuum packing. Salt ditto for those not near the sea. That is one of the reasons that sugar and salt are almost addictive (it may be) and the food manufacturers use that to their advantage.

At least that is a distillation of some of the thinking going around.

When did we evolve to need all these veg I often ask myself.

[Tetenterre]

I still want to know how a "portion" is defined.

And then we have the "2 fruit + 5 veg" thing. The EU defines a carrot as a fruit (& I don't know, but wouldn't mind betting it defines tomatoes & cucumbers as vegetables).

Designed to confuse...

[Nick]

I still want to know how a "portion" is defined.

And then we have the "2 fruit + 5 veg" thing. The EU defines a carrot as a fruit (& I don't know, but wouldn't mind betting it defines tomatoes & cucumbers as vegetables).

Designed to confuse...

But then again, Americans call liquid petrol "gas".....

[Dave B]

I still want to know how a "portion" is defined.

And then we have the "2 fruit + 5 veg" thing. The EU defines a carrot as a fruit (& I don't know, but wouldn't mind betting it defines tomatoes & cucumbers as vegetables).

Designed to confuse...

About 80gm, a handful; three-four cherry toms, a medium carrot, 2-3 shallots, inch of cuc, a small/medium apple etc. etc.

[getreal]

From memory, the decision to promote 5 a day, was merely a start. It was recognised that much more than that would constitute a balanced diet, but Brits ate so few vegetables, it was felt that 5 was a more attainable target.

Just from memory of working in Heath promotion.

[Alan H]

From memory, the decision to promote 5 a day, was merely a start. It was recognised that much more than that would constitute a balanced diet, but Brits ate so few vegetables, it was felt that 5 was a more attainable target.

Just from memory of working in Heath promotion.

I think you're right. It's sad that so many struggle to make even that.

[Dave B]

What does bother me is there was something about tinned and frozen veg not being as good as they once thought. I would guess that I am in the majority of the population when considering the convenience of frozen food, either bought or home made, and tinned tomatoes, kidney beans, hick peas etc. I don't have a lot of storage pace and a lot of veg is supplied in family sized packs.

Actually, due to IBS, I am off pulses and some other starchy foods at the moment - they are difficult to substitute!

[Tetenterre]

About 80gm,

So WTF do they not just say 80g (or even 3 oz - or even just say "eat about 1 lb or half a kilo of fresh fruit/veg daily")?

[Dave B]

About 80gm,

So WTF do they not just say 80g (or even 3 oz - or even just say "eat about 1 lb or half a kilo of fresh fruit/veg daily")?

It might be good if they included the weight, especially in oz 'cos I have friends who can't handle metric! But "an apple, a helping of peas, a helping of
. . . etc." is more intuitive.

"eat about 1 lb or half a kilo of fresh fruit/veg daily"

OK, so I will eat four apples then . . . I think it important to get the idea of a mixture of fruit and veg is required. Not easy to impart this in a single short phrase.