Cookstown District Council
Environmental Health
Fruit and Vegetables
The Importance of Fruit and Vegetables in the Diet
How much fruit and vegetables should I be eating ?
In general you should be eating lots of fruit and vegetables each day. In fact the fruit and vegetables should make up about a third of the food you consume each day. It is also important that you eat a variety. Five-a-day is a good achievable target.
If you count your portions each day it might help you to increase the amount you eat. Fresh, Frozen, dried and canned fruit and vegetables all count. Also 100% fruit or vegetable juice and pure fruit smoothies count. Beans and pulses, such as baked beans and lentils also contribute to this group. Look out for the government’s five-a-day logo on pre-packed fruit and vegetables.
What is a portion ?
One portion is equal to 80g = any of these
- 1 apple, pear, banana, orange or other similar sized fruit
- 2 plums or similar sized fruit
- ½ grapefruit or avocado
- 1 slice of large fruit such as melon or pineapple
- 3 heaped tablespoons of vegetables (raw, frozen, cooked or tinned).
- 3 heaped tablespoons of pulses or beans (including baked beans. Note that however much you eat beans and pulses count as one portion per day).
- 3 heaped tablespoons of fruit salad.
- 1 heaped tablespoon of dried fruit (such as raisins or apricots).
- 1 cup of grapes, cherries or berries
- A dessert bowl of salad
- A glass of fruit juice (however much you drink fruit juice counts as one portion per day).
Why it’s important ?
Fruit and vegetable are good sources of many vitamins and minerals, yet most of us do not eat enough of them. There is mounting evidence to suggest that people who eat lots of fruit and vegetables are less likely to develop chronic diseases such as coronary heart disease and some cancers. It is also worth noting that fruit and vegetables are very low in fat.