The nutritional benefits of fruit and vegetables 

Here at the Veg Box Donation Scheme, we love providing fruit and vegetables to local people in food poverty, and we appreciate the positive feedback that comes back to us. 

One important reason we focus on fruit and veg is for the nutritional benefit these provide that are often missed. Why not start the New Year by eating more fruit and veg?!

Fresh fruit and vegetables can be quite expensive, so people on low income sometimes have no choice but to leave them out of their shopping. With many of our recipients having children in the household, these children are also missing out.

Current NHS guidance suggests:

Fruit and vegetables are part of a healthy, balanced diet and can help you stay healthy. It's important that you eat enough of them.

Evidence shows significant health benefits to getting at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables daily. That's 5 portions of fruit and veg in total, not 5 portions of each. A portion of fruit or vegetables is 80g.

The 5 A Day campaign is based on advice from the World Health Organization (WHO), which recommends eating a minimum of 400g of fruit and vegetables a day to lower the risk of serious health problems, such as heart disease, stroke and some types of cancer.

5 reasons for eating 5 a day

1. Fruit and vegetables are good sources of vitamins and minerals, including folate, vitamin C and potassium.
2. They're an excellent source of dietary fibre, which can help to maintain a healthy gut and prevent constipation and other digestion problems. A diet high in fibre can also reduce your risk of bowel cancer.
3. They can help to reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke and some types of cancer.
4. Fruit and vegetables contribute to a healthy, balanced diet.
5. Fruit and vegetables taste delicious, and there's so much variety to choose from.

Fruit and vegetables are also usually low in fat and calories (provided you do not fry them or roast them in lots of oil). That's why eating them can help you maintain a healthy weight and keep your heart healthy.

To get the most out of your 5 A Day, your 5 portions should include a variety of fruit and vegetables. This is because different fruits and vegetables contain different combinations of fibre, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.

Almost all fruit and vegetables count towards your 5 A Day. They can be fresh, frozen, canned, dried or juiced. Potatoes, yams and cassava do not count because they mainly contribute starch to the diet.

More information about portion sizes can be found on the NHS website.

We would like to say a huge thank you to Sainsbury’s Helping Everyone Eat Better Community Grant (Neighbourly) and Deepdale Trees for the funding for our Christmas Day hampers, and also MyFresh, who prepared gifts for the children.

If you are a local grower, we would be delighted to take any excess fruit and veg you have and add it to the boxes we give to people. We are always looking for helpful volunteers to pack and deliver boxes. If you would like to contact us, please email us at hello@vbds.org.uk. 

Sources:
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/5-a-day/why-5-a-day/