Five a day

Keeping Healthy Contents

Five a day is the number of portions of fruit and vegetables that are needed to give you the best chance of keeping healthy.

Eating five a day can give you the following benefits

It is thought that apart from stopping smoking this is the most important change that people can make to prevent cancer

Unfortunately the average consumption of fruit and vegetables amongst adults in England is only three portions a day, and children only have two.

The table below reveals all!

**Fruit and vegetable portions**
Fruit or vegetable	Quantity
apple, orange or banana	1 fruit
very large fruit such as melon or pineapple	1 large slice
small fruits such as plums, kiwis or satsumas	2 fruit
raspberries, strawberries, grapes	1 cupful
fruit salad or stewed or canned fruit	2-3 tablespoonfuls
dried fruit	half to one tablespoonful
fruit juice	one small glass (only once a day)
raw, cooked or frozen or canned vegetables	2 tablespoonfuls
salad	1 dessert bowlful

bananas

The above table is from the British Heart Foundation's booklet "Eating for your heart"

We have many more publications from the British Heart Foundation, ask one of the nurses or doctors.

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