Fruit & Vegetables
Fruit and vegetables provide many vitamins and minerals essential for good health. Vitamin C, found in green vegetables and fruit, is key to warding off coughs and colds, and is vital for healthy skin and teeth. Fruit and veg also provide roughage to keep the bowels and gut working properly, and minerals to maintain blood cells and stimulate growth and development.
There are literally hundreds of different varieties of fresh fruit and vegetables available these days and most shops stock a wide range to choose from. Some varieties are grown at home in the UK and some are imported from overseas.
Examples of common vegetables include: broccoli, carrots, peas, cabbage, beans, parsnip and spinach. Common summer 'salad' vegetables include: cucumber, lettuce, spring onions, tomatoes, peppers and radish.
Amongst the different fruit you can buy are: apples, pears, grapes, bananas, oranges, melons and lemons, with shops increasingly stocking the more exotic fruits such as: mango, pineapples, kiwi, blueberries and pomegranates. Common summer fruits include: raspberries, strawberries, nectarines, peaches and plums.
Frozen fruit and vegetables are an equally valuable source of nutrients as the items are usually cleaned, checked and frozen within 24 hours of being harvested. This ensures that they are as fresh as possible and that they retain most of their vitamins and minerals. Frozen vegetables are, of course, convenient to cook and serve and to have as a standby in the freezer.
Dried and canned fruit and vegetables are good as secondary options or for the store cupboard, as well as for activities such as camping trips or travelling. Dried fruit such as raisins, sultanas, cranberries and banana chips have seen a growth in popularity in recent years, and new choices such as apple, mango and cherry are making their way onto supermarket shelves. As well as for use in desserts and cakes, they're excellent choices for lunchboxes and snacks. Canned options often include: new potatoes, peas, beans, sweetcorn, pineapple, and peaches, among many others.
100% fruit or vegetable juice and pure fruit juice smoothies are also good sources of vitamins and minerals, although they don't provide the roughage found in whole foods.
How much fruit and veg should you eat?
Most of us should eat five portions a day. A portion is approximately 80g (e.g. 1 medium apple, a cereal bowl of salad or 100ml of juice). Look out for the government's five a day logo on pre-packed fruit and vegetables - some food manufacturers have their own logos.
Healthy tips
To eat a healthier diet, options could include:
- fruit or chopped vegetables as a snack
- dried or fresh fruit in breakfast cereals
- a salad with sandwiches or with pizza
- adding vegetables to casseroles and stews and fruit to desserts
For more information on healthy eating you could search the internet or visit your local library, both of which will have plenty of resources to help you. A few examples of useful websites are included below, but there are many other excellent sites that will give you accurate advice. Nutrition courses are also available at local colleges or online.
For more information on healthy eating in school please contact us by phone, or via the email or postal address on this page.