Fruit & Vegtables

Eating 5 portions of fruit and vegtables a day can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and some cancers.

In particular

lung, colon, breast, cervix, esophagus, oral cavity, stomach, bladder, pancreas, and ovary

Fruits and vegetables contain a wide variety of nutrients that have many different effects on the body. These nutrients include carotenoids, folate, vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, flavonoids and various other phytochemicals (chemicals found in plants). Some of these may be linked to reduced cancer risk by doing things like:

• Mopping up harmful chemicals that could potentially damage DNA.
• Helping protect against DNA damage.
• Helping with repairing DNA.
• Blocking the formation of cancer-causing chemicals.

Fruit and veg are high in fibre. Fibre increases the size of stools, dilutes their contents, and helps people have more frequent bowel movements. This reduces the contact time between the bowel and harmful chemicals in the stools. Fibre may also help gut bacteria produce helpful chemicals that change the conditions in the bowel. All of these things help to reduce the risk of cancer.

It also:

-improves your digestive system,

-strengthens your skeletal system

-helps develop your cardio-vascular system,

-helps your immune system,

-reducing your vulnerability to minor infections like the flu and cold.

One portion of fruit (approx 80g weight)

equivalent to 80g in weight

(As eaten, edible portion, drained if canned)

Apple: fresh 1 medium apple

Apple: puree 2 heaped tablespoons

Apricot: canned 6 halves

Apricot: fresh 3 apricots

Avocado Half an avocado

Banana: fresh 1 medium banana

Blackcurrants 4 heaped tablespoons

Blueberries 2 handfuls (4 heaped tablespoons)

Cherries: canned 11 cherries (3 heaped tablespoons)

Cherries: fresh 14 cherries

Clementines 2 clementines

Damsons 5 to 6 damsons

Dates: fresh 3 dates

Fig: fresh 2 figs

Fruit juice: 100%

unsweetened

1 medium (150ml) glass of unsweetened 100% fruit juice can count

as a portion.

Juices can only count as a maximum of one of your 5 A DAY,

however much you drink.

Fruit salad: 3 heaped tablespoons

Fruit salad: fresh 3 heaped tablespoons

Fruit smoothie

1 medium glass (150ml)

One smoothie containing all the edible pulped fruit or vegetable

may count as more than one 5 A DAY portion, but this depends on

the quantity of fruits or vegetables and/or juice used, as well as how

the smoothie has been made.

For a single smoothie to qualify as being two portions, it must

contain either:

• at least 80g of one variety of whole fruit and/or vegetable

and at least 150ml of a different variety of 100% fruit and/or

vegetable juice, or

• a minimum of 80g of one variety of whole fruit and/or

vegetable and at least 80g of another variety of whole fruit

and/or vegetable.

Smoothies can only count as a maximum of two of your 5 A DAY,

however much you drink.

Gooseberries 1 handful

Grapefruit

segments: canned 3 heaped tablespoons (8 segments)

Grapefruit: fresh Half a grapefruit

Grapes 1 handful

Kiwi fruit 2 kiwi fruit

Kumquat 6-8 kumquats

Lychee: canned 6 lychees

Lychee: fresh 6 lychees

Mandarin orange:

canned 3 heaped tablespoons

Mandarin orange:

fresh 1 medium orange

Mango: fresh 2 slices (2-inch slice)

Melon 1 slice (2-inch slice)

Nectarine 1 nectarine

Orange 1 orange

Passion fruit 5 to 6 fruit

Pawpaw (papaya):

fresh 1 slice

Peach: canned 2 halves or 7 slices

Peach: fresh 1 medium peach

Peach: ready to eat 2 halves

Pear: canned 2 halves or 7 slices

Pear: fresh 1 medium pear

Pear: ready to eat 2 halves

Pineapple: canned 2 rings or 12 chunks

Pineapple: crushed 3 tablespoons

Pineapple: fresh 1 large slice

Plum 2 medium plums

Prune: canned 6 prunes

Prune: ready to eat 3 prunes

Raspberries:

canned 20 raspberries

Raspberries: fresh 2 handfuls

Rhubarb: canned

chunks 5 chunks

Rhubarb: cooked 2 heaped tablespoons

Satsuma 2 small satsumas

Sharon fruit 1 sharon fruit

Strawberry:

canned 9 strawberries

Strawberry: fresh 7 strawberries

Sultanas 1 heaped tablespoon

Tangerine 2 small tangerines

Tomato puree 1 heaped tablespoon

Tomato: canned

plum 2 whole

Tomato: fresh 1 medium, or 7 cherry

Fiber
Fruit & Veg that contain 5g or more fiber per reference amount qualify to carry the label "high in fibre"
Example of sources of high fibre are:
Apples
Blackberries
Lentils
Pears
Rasberries
Spinach



Dark Green Coloured Vegetables - Vit A, folate, iron & calcium, fiber

Carrots- Vit A, antioxidants, zinc, magnesium

Potatoes - Vit b, Vit C, potassium

Butternut Squash - very low calorie, antioxidants, fiber

Courgettes - very low calorie, anti-oxidants

Aubergine - lowers cholesterol

Onions - cardiovascular benefits

Garlic - cardiovascular benefits

Pomgranate - Vitamin C

Watermelon - Vitamin C

Passion fruit - Vitamin C

Seeds/nuts - cardiovascular benefits, protein

Bananas - Potassium, Cardiovascular effects

Oranges - Vitamin C

Limes - Vitamin C

Peppers - Vit A, Vit C, potassium

Tomatoes - antioxidants, Vit A, Vit C

Lettuce - Vit A, Vit K

Apples - soluble fiber

Plums - Vitamin C

Mushrooms - Vitamin D, fiber

Strawberries - zinc, antioxidants, potassium

PEaches - Vit C

Pineapples - Vit B, manganese

Grapes - Vit K, Vit B2

Kale (superfood) low calorie, high fiber, vit K, cardiovascular benefits, anti-inflammatory properties, Vit C, calcium

Cholesterol lowering foods - oatmeal, nuts, soy products, aubergines, plant sterols, lecithin granules.