You’ve probably heard of ‘5-a-day’ – it’s something we’re told to aim for when it comes to eating veg and fruit, but research shows that the majority of us Brits struggle to get 3 portions per day. In fact, UK data shows that only 27% of adults, 12% of teenagers and 8% of children achieve 5 portions. Not only that, UK guidelines state that we should be hitting at least 5-a-day, but we should actually be aiming much higher – for 7 to 10 portions!
And the benefits of 7-a-day are clear. Studies show that when you hit 7 to 10 portions of veg and fruit every day, there’s a measurable decrease in your risk of developing diet-related disease.
Jamie’s new book, Eat Yourself Healthy, includes a 2-week starter, which you could think of as a 7-a-day meal plan. If you follow the plan, you’ll get a minimum of 7 portions of veg and fruit every day for 2 weeks! Not only that, you’ll find a whole host of recipes that include 7, 8, 9 and even 10 portions of veg and fruit in just one dish, so you can get into the habit of hitting your 7-a-day, with ease.
So, what is a portion?
80g (or a large handful) of fresh, frozen or tinned veg and fruit. Plus, you can count one of each of the following per day:
- 30g of dried fruit
- 80g of cooked or soaked beans or pulses
- 150ml of unsweetened veg or fruit juice
- 1 heaped tablespoon (or 20g) of double concentrated tomato purée
Find out more about portion sizes
What are the benefits of 7-a-day?
When it comes to veg and fruit, it’s all about eating the rainbow to maximise your nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Vegetables and fruits as a food group make up ⅓ of the balanced plate as they play an important role in keeping us healthy. They provide fibre and a wide variety of vitamins and minerals that our bodies need to function and stay healthy. They also contain lots of other bioactive compounds like polyphenols whose benefits are still being discovered!
Hitting 7 – when on average most of us are only getting between 2 to 3 portions – can feel overwhelming, but, when you know what counts and some tips and tricks, you can quite easily increase your intake with some small changes. We’ve got loads of veg-packed recipes to get you going with 7-a-day:
Recipes to hit your 7-a-day
Hungry for more? Check out our full collection of healthy recipes.
Written by Rozzie Batchelar, Senior Nutritionist at Jamie Oliver
