How much fruit and veg should we eat? 人体需要多少水果和蔬菜？

何航

Experts say eating a range of fruit and veg is best, as part of a balanced diet, to protect against illness

Research suggests eating at least seven portions of fruit and vegetables a day is more effective at preventing disease than the government's current five-a-day recommendation.

Is five a day enough?

Yes - but people should eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, the government says. The advice is based on World Health Organization guidelines, which are 25 years old.

Dieticians say eating five a day is enough to get the protective benefits of fruit and veg - although eating more may be additionally beneficial.

What counts as a portion?

Fruit juice counts towards one portion of the recommended five portions per day

For an adult, a minimum of 400g of fruit and vegshould be eaten every day, or five portions of 80g.

The amount varies for children, based on activity levels and age, but a rough guide is that one portion should fit in the palm of their hand.

Fruit and vegetables do not have to be eaten on their own and can be cooked in dishes such as soups, stews or pasta meals.

Do tinned fruit and fruit juice count?

Yes. But juice should be unsweetened, and only counts as one portion a day, as it contains less fibre than whole fruits and vegetables.

Fruit must be tinned in natural juice, or water, with no added sugar or salt, and not in syrup, which lots of fruit is.

Beans and pulses also count, but again only as one portion as they contain fewer nutrients than other fruits and vegetables.

Smoothies may count towards more than one portion if they contain all the edible pulped fruit or veg, and depending on their ingredients.

Recommendations include frozen fruit and vegetables, and dried fruit, such as currants, dates, sultanas and figs.

Those in ready-meals and shop-bought pasta sauces, soups and puddings are also included, but advice urges "only to have them occasionally" or in small amounts as they are often high in salt, sugar and fat.

What about potatoes?

Potatoes do not count towards one of the five-a-day, but sweet potatoes do.

Potatoes are not one of the five-a-day items. This is because they mainly contribute starch to a healthy diet, which is a good source of energy and helps digestion.

They are classified in the same group as bread or pasta by the government.

Skins should be left on when cooking as they are a good source of fibre.

But sweet potatoes, parsnips, swedes and turnips do count as five-a-day foods, as they are usually eaten as well as the starchy bit of the meal.
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据英国广播公司报道，专家表示，吃各种水果蔬菜对身体最为有利，可以均衡饮食，预防疾病。

研究表明，一天至少吃7份水果蔬菜比政府目前提倡的一天五份可以更有效预防疾病。

一天五份够不够？

五份是可以的，但政府表示，一天至少应该吃五份。此建议是基于世界卫生组织已建立了25周年的指导方针。

饮食学专家说，一天吃五份水果蔬菜就足够使人体获益，尽管更多的水果蔬菜可能会带来额外好处。

多少算是一份呢？

果汁是一天五份水果蔬菜中的一份。

对于成年人来说，一天最少吃400克水果蔬菜，或5份80克的水果蔬菜。

对儿童来说，摄入量因运动量与年龄有所不同，但有一个大体指导方法是他们的手掌能承担的量就是一份的量。

各种水果蔬菜不必分开吃，可以做成汤、大杂烩或面食。

罐头水果和果汁算不算？

罐头水果和果汁算，但果汁应该是未加糖的，由于果汁比完整的水果蔬菜含有的纤维少，只能算作一份。

水果必须是在天然果汁或水中，不添加任何糖或盐，不是在糖浆中。很多水果罐头用的是糖浆水。

豆类也算，但由于其比其他水果蔬菜含有的营养少，也只能算一份。

如果冰沙含有所有可食用浆状果肉或蔬菜，可以不止算作一份，这取决于其中的成分。

还建议食用冷冻水果、蔬菜和干果，如醋栗果、小葡萄干、海枣、无花果等。

熟食和商店中买的意大利面酱、汤和补丁中的水果蔬菜也算，但建议“偶尔吃这些东西”或食用量要少，因为这些食物通常含有较多的盐、糖和脂肪。

土豆算不算？

土豆不算，但甘薯算。

土豆不能算作一天五份中的一份，这是因为土豆主要提供的是健康饮食需要的淀粉，对于补充体力和促进消化有益。

政府将土豆和面包、意大利面食归为一类。

烹饪时，土豆上的皮应该留着，因为其中含有较多纤维。

但由于甘薯、欧洲萝卜、大头菜、红萝卜通常同含淀粉的食物一起吃，可以算作一天5份中的份量。

何航

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