5 a day? 7? 10? And what it really means

Nutrition focus series #2

As we get closer to the end of January, our goals for the New Year are (hopefully) still fresh in our minds. And by far, most of the most popular resolutions and goals that was penned down had to do with living a healthier lifestyle. With all the information in today’s society, it can be confusing to know where to start. While it does not sound all that glamorous to start with something like increasing your produce intake, this is such a powerful way to invest in your health and performance – and believe it or not, a lot of people, and even athletes, fail to obtain what should be the one of the most important components of the diet: enough fresh fruit and vegetables.

The South African Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of 2013 has shown that an estimated 25.6% of South Africans have a low fruit and vegetable intake (0-2 servings per day), 45.3% have a moderate intake (3-4 servings per day) and only 29.1% have a high intake (which is the recommended amount of 5-8 servings per day). According to the FAO (Food and Agricultural Organisation) studies show that most populations are consistently not reaching even half the goal of a minimum of 5 servings of fruit and veg per day. WHO, the World Health Organisation, attributes approximately 3 million deaths a year from non-communicable diseases, like diabetes and cardiovascular disease, to inadequate fruit and vegetable intake — making it almost as much of a risk factor as tobacco use. Therefore, to improve your health, this would be a great place to start.

Why is fruit and vegetables important?

Vegetables and fruit are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytochemicals and dietary fibre. They are have a high nutrient density, which means they are higher in nutrients and lower in calories.

Vitamins and minerals
regulate body processes that support growth and maintain life. The water soluble vitamins include vitamin C and the B complex vitamins, while the fat soluble vitamins, vitamin A, D, E and K are dependent on fats for absorption.

Antioxidants
are substances that may protect the cells against oxidative damage by free radicals (which are substances that are produced by metabolism, environmental exposures like tobacco smoke, chemicals, radiation and pollution), which may also play a role in heart disease, cancer and other diseases. Examples of antioxidants include lutein, lycopene, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium and β-carotene.

Phytochemicals
are not essential to the diet, but a lot of the health benefits in produce can be attributed to these bioactive compounds found in plants. Examples include carotenoids (in deeply pigmented fruit and vegetables like apricots, broccoli, cantaloupe, pumpkin, spinach, sweet potatoes etc.) flavonoids (apple, red onion, red grape, citrus fruit, tomato, broccoli and other leafy green vegetables, berries, cabbage, and citrus), and limonene (citrus fruit such as lemon and orange) and these phytochemicals act as antioxidants and possibly reduces the risk of cancer and other diseases.

Dietary fibre
can be protective against heart disease by lowering blood pressure, improving blood lipids and reducing inflammation. It also can play a key role in managing and preventing type-2 diabetes, enhance the health of the large intestine, be protective against cancer and contribute to weight management.
*Consuming fruit juices, has a high sugar content and high glycaemic load, and should be consumed in moderation.
Convincing scientific evidence has shown that a high intake (5-10 servings per day) of vegetables and fruit protects against cardiovascular disease, stroke, certain cancers, metabolic syndrome and type-2 diabetes.

So, how much vegetables and fruit should we be eating?

A minimum daily intake of 400 g of a variety of vegetables (which does not include starchy vegetables like potatoes and other tubers, like sweet potatoes) and fruit is recommended by The World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and the World Cancer Research Fund to prevent chronic diseases like cancer, heart disease, obesity and diabetes and prevent micronutrient deficiencies. Increasing your intake to 600g has been proven to give additional benefits, particularly relating to heart disease.

What counts as a serving of fruit and veg?

80g of produce equals to one serving – therefore, to reach the recommended daily amount of 400g fruit and veg, it would take 5 servings of 80g and to reach 600g, it would take 7.5 servings of fruit and veg. Below is an infographic summarizing what 80g of fruit and vegetables would look like – and it may be less daunting than one might think.

It is recommended to eat the whole fruit – with the skin and pulp – as it contains more nutrition than fruit juice. The edible skins also are sites where important biological activity takes place, interactions with sunlight occurs resulting in a wide variety of coloured pigments like carotenoids and flavonoids. The skin also provides dietary fibre with its benefits.

BUT what about the cost…?

Many people are reluctant to include more fruit and vegetables into their diet due to the barrier of cost. Truth is, healthy eating does NOT have to be expensive! And, you will reap the benefits of having more energy, less illness and better health by investing your time and money to find options that will suit your budget.

Here are some tips to save costs when buying and using fruits and vegetables:

1. Buying fruit and veg loose and in quantities that you will use before it goes off, is usually cheaper than buying the packaged options.
2. When buying fresh produce, make sure to buy what is in season, as it will be more affordable.
3. Buying dried pulses can be cheaper than buying tinned pulses, but will take longer to prepare.
4. Make sure to store fresh produce properly and make it visible in order to use fast enough to prevent spoilage.
5. In some cases, frozen vegetables can be more affordable and won’t spoil in the same way fresh produce will, which may save costs.
6. Buy produce in bulk, cook and prepare some meals in advance and freeze for later use.