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How can you know whether you're eating enough vegetables and fruits?
How can you know whether you're eating enough vegetables and fruits?
I'm sure you've heard of the "five a day" recommendation. Most countries in Europe recommend consuming a minimum of five portions of vegetables and fruits daily. But how much is one portion, and how can you know if you've consumed enough?
The size of a portion can be measured and explained in several ways, which can be confusing at first, but it is roughly the same amount. One portion can be:
A fist-sized piece like an apple or a handful when it comes to smaller vegetables and berries.
It can also be measured in grams, which is 80 g, but this is less practical and used less often.
If you have a measuring cup with measurements in cups, you can measure chopped veggies with it - that would be roughly 1/2 cup.
You can also often see that one medium to large vegetable or fruit, or two smaller ones, are referred to as one portion, which is also accurate.
Five portions add up to 400 g a day, another measurement often mentioned in recommendations, but it really refers to the same amount.
While five portions or 400 g might sound like a lot, do not be discouraged, as it is just about the same amount shown in the picture above. Strive to achieve at least this amount daily for better health results.
I find that comparing to the size of the fist or just counting the number of average and small fruits and vegetables works best as it's the easiest. To give examples, one portion is also:
1/2 large bell pepper
1 medium apple
2 medium plums
1 medium tomato
A handful of strawberries or other berries
Important to remember: potatoes and sweet potatoes do not count! These are starchy vegetables that contribute to your nutrition in the same way as grains.
Also, at least half of the veggies and fruits should be fresh. And while a glass of fresh fruit juice would also count as a portion, you shouldn't replace whole fruits and veggies with it too often, and no more than 1 portion a day.
Last updated: 23.07.2024.
For further reading, take a look at:
World Health Organization (2020). Healthy Diet. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/healthy-diet
NHS (2022). 5 A Day Portion Sizes. https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/5-a-day/portion-sizes/
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