[SA Chris]

Fruit and veggie bits obviously.

While dieting is being discussed, does anyone ever actually manage this? (herbivorous type excepted).

I normally manage about 3 or 4 max a day in the week and about 7 on a weekend day.

[Rocksteady]

My mate (a pretty dedicated and useful triathlete) reckons that 35 a week works out just as well as 5 a day, so it doesn't matter if you don't make it your quota some days, you can catch up by 'fruiting up' at the weekend. He reckons he read this somewhere.

I find this appealing as it is pretty tough to get 5 a day on workdays when fruit/veg portions do have to be pretty large. Like 1/2 a lettuce is one portion, and I don't get 1/2 a lettuce into a salad.

I reckon I make 4 a day, most days.

[BB]

I hit over 5 a day without too much bother and I don't eat breakfast.

3 pieces of fruit (different ones) for lunch
meat and 3 different veg for dinner

job done.

[magpie]

Did you know that they* are now saying that actually it should be 7 or 9 a day and not 5, but decided to stick with publicising 5 as people would shit themselves (possibly literally) if they thought they had to eat that many to be healthy.

Anyway, it's worth looking into what constitutes one portion, it's a lot less than you think, and you can use seeds or nuts for one, juice for one, possibly pulses too, various things other than just standard fruit and veg.

I can dig out more info from my lady site if you are interested, or suggestions of how to fit in 5, should you feel the need to.  Once you know portion size and the substitutes it's fairly easy if you are a healthy eater.

*no, I don't know who they are, the SCIENCE guys. 

[magpie]

Some possibly useful links:

NHS shizzle:
http://www.nhs.uk/livewell/5aday/pages/5adayhome.aspx

9 a day SCIENCE:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article6422824.ece

More FAQ here:
http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/asksam/healthydiet/fruitandvegq/

[JamesD]

I hit over 5 a day without too much bother and I don't eat breakfast.

3 pieces of fruit (different ones) for lunch
meat and 3 different veg for dinner

job done.

Same here.....although I try to eat breakfast most days.

[Fiend]

Do you actually eat ANY a day, SCIENCEPIE?? And I'm sure capri sun doesn't count...

[magpie]

O RLY? 



 

[Fiend]

Is that SCIENCE or ADVERTISING?? I'm not sure a cute cartoon thumb makes Capri Sun the natural healthy fruit option.

Hmmm actually 100% orange juice does look kinda convincing. Are those the ones you drink??

Hey I wonder if the pack of Skittles I've just nommed count??

[Fatboy]

Some great linkage there Magpie and defo edumakated me - I actually do better than I thought and must be close to 5 a day, and over at the weekends!! 

[fiveknuckle21]

It's a life goal of mine to get this into one meal and the usual method is a morning smoothie:

1x Bananana
1x Orange
1x Apple, cored
1x Melon slice (about 1/6 of ye standard)
1x Small yoghurt to add some texture
4 or 5 bits of ice
a trickle of honey

Blend it up and bob's your uncle. You don't have to eat for the rest of the day. Fact.

[BB]

O RLY? 



 

Maggers, do you want me to send you the ascii owl? 

[magpie]

It's easier to do than people think, really, it just sounds hard.  Also, most people think a portion is big, it's not.

B: Peice of fruit with cereal, porridge or yoghurt - 2 or 3 is easy if you do different berries.  Fruit juice is another one if you have a glass of that.  Some nuts onto of your fruity concotion can be another.
L: Some sort of pulse or salad (either on it's own or as part of a roll / sandwich)
D: Meat or pasta etc and two more veg

Snacks of fruit and nuts during the day can count for 2 or 3 more.  Olives count, hummous might even, I can't remember.  The above would give you 9 if you made sure you were eating different sorts of fruit and not doubling up on nuts / pulses / juices / smoothies.

Also, things like passata count, tinned fruit and veg or frozen stuff as well as fresh, soup can have several in, you can count one from things like chilli or stew provided you've put some veg in.

With all this information in my tiny head I should be super healthy really. 

I am going to Google ascii owl, it better be work safe.   

Edit:  It is. 

{o,o}
|)__)
-"-"-
O RLY?

[slackline]

I am going to Google ascii owl, it better be work safe.   

Edit:  It is. 

{o,o}
|)__)
-"-"-
O RLY?

Digital form > ASCII...



Lots more ASCII Owls

[Three Nine]

I reckon its really easy to get your 5 a day in. I snack on fruit and carrots and stuff through the day. Its nice, doesn't make you fat, and is doubtless good for you. Definitely makes you feel less guilty than biscuits.

[Snoops]

My mate (a pretty dedicated and useful triathlete) reckons that 35 a week works out just as well as 5 a day, so it doesn't matter if you don't make it your quota some days, you can catch up by 'fruiting up' at the weekend. He reckons he read this somewhere.

I find this appealing as it is pretty tough to get 5 a day on workdays when fruit/veg portions do have to be pretty large. Like 1/2 a lettuce is one portion, and I don't get 1/2 a lettuce into a salad.

I reckon I make 4 a day, most days.

Not sure this is true. Ascorbic Acid (Vit C) etc, you can only absorb x amount at a time, the rest gets excreted by the body. Ergo, intaking small amounts regularly works far better than having a large amount at once.

[Lund]

My mate (a pretty dedicated and useful triathlete) reckons that 35 a week works out just as well as 5 a day, so it doesn't matter if you don't make it your quota some days, you can catch up by 'fruiting up' at the weekend. He reckons he read this somewhere.

I find this appealing as it is pretty tough to get 5 a day on workdays when fruit/veg portions do have to be pretty large. Like 1/2 a lettuce is one portion, and I don't get 1/2 a lettuce into a salad.

I reckon I make 4 a day, most days.

Not sure this is true. Ascorbic Acid (Vit C) etc, you can only absorb x amount at a time, the rest gets excreted by the body. Ergo, intaking small amounts regularly works far better than having a large amount at once.

True, but not the point - the five-a-day stuff is not about just getting vitamin C.  Otherwise it would be five oranges a day (or a magic linus tablet with 10000000000mg in).

[SA Chris]

Not sure this is true. Ascorbic Acid (Vit C) etc, you can only absorb x amount at a time, the rest gets excreted by the body. Ergo, intaking small amounts regularly works far better than having a large amount at once.

Was told the same by doc at last checkup. Having loads of fruit at once on a weekedn will give the bowel a good cleanout, but not much more. Need a regualr intake of roughage, vitamins etc.

[Rocksteady]

Obv there's loads of health benefits to loading up on fruit and veg, but what about the downside?

Particularly with smoothies and orange juice, they are whack-full of sugar. Too much of that ain't good for ya, and can be quite high in calories. My bro always insists on a glass of OJ every morning as on his way to 5-a-day, but he recently had to spend some painful time in the dentist and pay couple of hundred quid for emergency appointment. Bad times.

Food for thought (sorry).

[SA Chris]

Food for fart too.

[rodma]

Obv there's loads of health benefits to loading up on fruit and veg, but what about the downside?

Particularly with smoothies and orange juice, they are whack-full of sugar. Too much of that ain't good for ya, and can be quite high in calories. My bro always insists on a glass of OJ every morning as on his way to 5-a-day, but he recently had to spend some painful time in the dentist and pay couple of hundred quid for emergency appointment. Bad times.

Food for thought (sorry).

I have a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice and grapefruit juice every morning, have done for about the last 8 years. If I thought that it was ruining my teeth I would stop. I wouldn't want to lose my Austin-Powers-esque smile after all 

[Rocksteady]

So it's not gospel but it's a starting point for more SCIENCE

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acid_erosion

[Krank]

i more often than not get 0 a day or maybe 1, am i gonna die? will getting 5 a day make me stronger?

[ben87]

I reckon its really easy to get your 5 a day in. I snack on fruit and carrots and stuff them in through the day.

I've heard carrots are good for you too, I find its only easy to get 5 small ones in a day though.

[SA Chris]

So it's not gospel but it's a starting point for more SCIENCE

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acid_erosion

No

brushing immediately after consuming acidic food and drink as teeth will be softened. Leave at least half an hour of time space. Rinsing with water is better than brushing after consuming acidic foods and drinks

Mustard Mitt I never knew that.