Do you eat your 5 a day?

I average about 2 -3 a day (I tend to eat large portions of a green veg rather than a variety).

I just read - Canned fruit and veg also count. It's healthier to choose fruit canned in juice rather than sugary syrup, and veg canned in water without added salt or sugar. I would have thought canned veg are very low in nutrients! The exception might be canned carrots since cooked carrots have more Vit A than raw ones.

I found this useful link
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/what-counts-five-day

Just when many of us are struggling to meet 5 a day...do you know about this?

http://www.nhs.uk/news/2017/02February/Pages/Five-a-day-of-fruit-and-veg-is-good-ten-is-better.aspx
1656269883.gif
 
Last edited:
creative said:
I average about 2 -3 a day (I tend to eat large portions of a green veg rather than a variety).

I just read - Canned fruit and veg also count. It's healthier to choose fruit canned in juice rather than sugary syrup, and veg canned in water without added salt or sugar. I would have thought canned veg are very low in nutrients! The exception might be canned carrots since cooked carrots have more Vit A than raw ones.

I found this useful link
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/what-counts-five-day

Just when many of us are struggling to meet 5 a day...do you know about this?

http://www.nhs.uk/news/2017/02February/Pages/Five-a-day-of-fruit-and-veg-is-good-ten-is-better.aspx
1656269883.gif
Click to expand...

It still makes me really angry that potatoes aren't included - yet sweet potatoes are. There is twisted logic going on.
 
morning glory said:
It still makes me really angry that potatoes aren't included - yet sweet potatoes are. There is twisted logic going on.
Click to expand...
I think it has a lot to do with nutrient value, e.g. antioxidants. Sweet potato is a good source of Vit A (the orange flesh).
 
creative said:
I think it has a lot to do with nutrient value, e.g. antioxidants. Sweet potato is a good source of Vit A (the orange flesh).
Click to expand...
Its nothing to do with that IMHO - did you see my post above? Basically the NHS allow sweet potato because:

"because they are usually eaten in addition to the starchy food part of the meal." (my red text)

Do you eat sweet potatoes alongside other starchy foods? I'm not sure many people do. I have no idea where this idea comes from but it is published on the NHS website as the reason they are included!
 
morning glory said:
Its nothing to do with that IMHO - did you see my post above? Basically the NHS allow sweet potato because:

"because they are usually eaten in addition to the starchy food part of the meal." (my red text)

Do you eat sweet potatoes alongside other starchy foods? I'm not sure many people do. I have no idea where this idea comes from but it is published on the NHS website as the reason they are included!
Click to expand...
Oh...that's peculiar! I found this just now..

Other vegetables that don't count towards your 5 A Day are yams, cassava and plantain. They are also usually eaten as starchy foods. Sweet potatoes, parsnips, swedes and turnips do count towards your 5 A Day, because they are usually eaten in addition to the starchy food part of the meal.

I vaguely see the logic but maybe potato, yams, cassava and plantains are low in nutrients i.e. mostly starch based? I can't say I like sweet potato but, if I did, it wouldn't be alongside another starch in a meal! However, in a roast, it's quite common to also have parsnips alongside the potato...
dontknow.gif
 
creative said:
Oh...that's peculiar! I found this just now..

Other vegetables that don't count towards your 5 A Day are yams, cassava and plantain. They are also usually eaten as starchy foods. Sweet potatoes, parsnips, swedes and turnips do count towards your 5 A Day, because they are usually eaten in addition to the starchy food part of the meal.

I vaguely see the logic but maybe potato, yams, cassava and plantains are low in nutrients i.e. mostly starch based? I can't say I like sweet potato but, if I did, it wouldn't be alongside another starch in a meal! However, in a roast, it's quite common to also have parsnips alongside the potato...
dontknow.gif
Click to expand...

Its nonsense. Nothing to do with nutrients, I think. As you say, you might have potatoes alongside parsnips. And one would be unlikely to have sweet potatoes in addition to the main starch. I wish I could interrogate the NHS about this...
 
morning glory said:
Its nonsense. Nothing to do with nutrients, I think. As you say, you might have potatoes alongside parsnips. And one would be unlikely to have sweet potatoes in addition to the main starch. I wish I could interrogate the NHS about this...
Click to expand...
It's the WHO that is behind it all, i.e. originally.
 
alexander said:
We were talking about this at work today. All our staff are trying to eat more healthy stuff this year but most said they didn't get their five portions of fruit and or veg a day. Do you make sure that you do? I don't think I do. Today I had 2 portions so far and i'm not sure whether they count as portions as they were in a sandwich. :unsure:
Click to expand...
Daily, I generally eat an orange, grapes, a few strawberries, part of a tomato, one to two apples plus something else such as a pear, plum, peach or kiwi. I have about two vegetables for dinner most days of the week.
 
toddhicks209 said:
Daily, I generally eat an orange, grapes, a few strawberries, part of a tomato, one to two apples plus something else such as a pear, plum, peach or kiwi. I have about two vegetables for dinner most days of the week.
Click to expand...

That sounds good and healthy - although 'part' of a tomato is a bit intriguing. Why not eat a whole one? :happy:
 
morning glory said:
Its nonsense. Nothing to do with nutrients, I think. As you say, you might have potatoes alongside parsnips. And one would be unlikely to have sweet potatoes in addition to the main starch. I wish I could interrogate the NHS about this...
Click to expand...
Only on holidays are sweet potatoes served along side other starches.
 
Yes, I'd have to agree, Cin. In America (I feel I should say that in an accent foreign to each reader), when a spud is served in s meal, most people are offered either a regular starchy potato in some form, or a sweet potato as an option. Lol, restaurants usually add extra charge for the sweet potato upgrade, no less.

But on certain culinarily familial holidays, sweet potatoes are treated as abby normal and are turned into Frankensteinian dishes which include syrup, nuts, and even marshmallows, and are offered as a separate side dish.

I don't mind sweet potato fries... (Oh, jeesus h f'in c, I keep forgetting) sweet potato chips.. Yes. The properly cut ones. Sweet potato fries can only exist as a proper chip due to their water content. Otherwise, they are just thin leathery strips, or burnt crisps.
 
I think i get 4 to 5 servings. I juice a boatload of veggies. cucumber, carrot, purple cabbage, celery, basil. 5 out of 7 days. (It actually tastes decent!) Sometimes I get Amla berries too.
Btw raw mangoes have shown up in the market here. So will be making some raw mango + coriander+ garlic+ mint chutney today. :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom