Five A Day?

[Bizzy Lizzy]

Do others get their five portions of fruit/vegetables a day? If not does it concern you? I struggle with this as I do not like fruit at all. I do get quite a bit of veg but not five portions each day I am sure. If I eat one large portion of veg which several different ones mixed does this count as more than one? I don't have a huge appetite and suffer from hiatus hernia so have to be careful about eating large quantities of food in one session anyway. Also acidic fruit gives me stomach problems. What do you all think about this and how do you overcome it (or not). I am hoping that wine counts as grapes

[Elisi]

Yes, BL, wine certainly counts as grapes well in my house anyway!

I find myself totally fed up with cooking in my later years and we have such a silly kitchen now in the house we are renting (hoping to buy again soon) it really has only one small workspace, so I tend to do whatever is quick and easy. Instead of cutting and cooking and such palaver, we tend to juice veggies and fruit and then add fat free yogurt, seeds, oat bran and ginger and take some cod liver oil tablets, and ea a handful of almonds and walnuts, and that's it unless I microwave some frozen veggies to add to our meal. I have a diploma in diet and nutrition, so what we do is absolutely acceptable according to my understanding. Recently I have been adding beetroot to the juice as it is fast being proven to 'elasticate' the veins so the blood can run more smoothly through them.

The only problem with not actually eating the veg is lack of fibre, which hopefully I make up with the oat bran.

[Oma]

I could happily live on fruit I eat lots of it the one thing im intolerant to is Bananas and oh how I crave them just the smell is enough to make my mouth water but I come up in huge hives and the pain in my stomach just isn't worth eating them . I eat a lot of salad leaves and tomatoes too and I love greens im not saying I eat veg everyday but most days but if I could only eat two foods it would be Fruit and Bacon sandwiches I limit myself to one bacon sandwich a week otherwise I would eat them every day, not good I know

[Qwerty]

I don't like veg but I do my best love fruit though eat 5 a day only I know it doesn't work like that I eat a banana everyday for potassium

[Qwerty]

I don't like veg and salad but try to eat as much as I can but love fruit eat a banana everyday and lots of other fruit I put a banana in natural yoghurt with sometimes blueberries, raspberries, almonds and honey

[Plantaholic]

I could easily live on fruit and veg., only a few I am not keen on, grapes, bananas, blueberries are on my regular list of fruits. There are only a few veg I am not keen on. As a family we all eat loads of veg and fruit

[Guest]

I don't have a problem as I like pretty much all vegetables - except okra because of its texture. But I do cook them carefully and make sure they are presented in lots of different ways. For those who struggle I think one of the best ways of eating a range of vegetables is to make soup. Leek and potato, carrot and coriander, butternut squash and sweet corn, pea, tomato and so on. It's also easier if you make the vegetable the star of the meal rather than meat. Hugh Fearly Whittingstall has a very good book doing this, and another is Eat Your Greens by Sophy Grigson.

The problem with eating a lot of fruit is that they are all very high in sugar and therefore the advice is at least three of the five should be vegetables and two fruit. And of course if you add sugar, honey or sweetened yoghurt it all ups the sugar content.

I also think a lot of people were so put off by overlooked cabbage and sprouts as children that it turned them against vegetables all together. But there are lots of other really good ones instead, asparagus (which is a lot cheaper nowadays) artichokes, Swiss chard for green ones as well as little beans, and all the Mediterranean vegetables like aubergines, peppers, sun ripened tomatoes (not the tough skinned bitter ones) and of course onions and garlic for flavour.

It's hard if a person suffers from digestive problems but trial and error should enable you to discover what agrees or disagrees with you.

[Nanto2girls]

I don't get my 5 a day.We have veg most days,but not 5 portions. Not a lover of fresh fruit,but do like strawberries,raspberries and blueberries. Apple and blackberries I eat in a pie or crumble.Love tinned fruit,but we never think to open any.

[Oma]

Nanto I love tinned peaches , Pears ,or fruit salad and always have them in but always forget we have them .

[WeeGranny]

I try to eat my 5 a day, but don't think i always succeed! I'll eat 3 portions of mixed fruit, but not bananas,melon or grapefruit and usually have one vegetable with main meal, and I suppose tomatoes count on a crispbread. tonight I'm making a salmon and potato salad which also has green beans,asparagus and peas in it as well as salad leaves. So I'm feeling very virtuous today!!!On the other hand, some days I may only have one portion of fruit or veg. It doesn't really bother me as I feel that I have a reasonably varied diet.

[Libra Gran]

I adore fruit except blueberries,just never seen the fascination of them.We have veg at least 5 times a week,mainly home grown. I am not a salad lover,I might have cucumber or tomato in a sandwich sometimes.

[Shemadee]

I eat a banana most days otherwise I get cramp. Enjoy the small packs of beetroot especially with spicy vinegar. I like most veg and sometimes make a vegetable soup as an easy way out. Some days I eat more than 5 and others probably less. I eat a handful of nuts most days. I also like hummus with carrot, celery sticks etc.

[Gemini]

I love fruit and veggies and eat a lot of them. Often I get my 5 a day, frequently I get a lot more than 5 a day. Other times I may only have 1 or 2 a day. Hopefully in the end it all balances out!

[Mimi]

I don't find it a problem at all, we eat lots of fruit and veg , we always have done even before it became another recommendation from Big Brother (sorry I mean the government) .
When did we become a nation of grown up individuals who cannot possibly get through the day without hints and tips on general common sense issues.
(Sorry for the rant ) x

[Gemini]

Quite. Mimi,,and so often this advice changes too!