You need to eat five portions of fruit or vegetables per day, as per NHS Guidance. But how much is a portion? Saying it’s ‘roughly a handful’ isn’t exactly helpful as hands come in all shapes and sizes.
And you know what they say about big hands? Large portions.
So, how much fruit and veg should you be eating a day? We find out.
What is a portion?
A portion of fruit or veg is quantified as 80g. You’ll need to eat 80g of your chosen fruit or veg for it to count as a portion.
Eighty grams of dense veg, such as carrots or swede, will look a lot smaller than the equivalent in lettuce or pepper. Due to differing weights, it’s important to understand what 80g of that exact vegetable looks like – a handful of carrots will be far heavier than a handful of lettuce. Once you’ve got a rough idea of what the portion looks like, you won’t have to measure it out every time.
When you’ve moved on to measuring your 80g portion by-eye, it’s better for you to over estimate than under. After all, extra fruit and veg will never be a bad thing.
When it comes to fruits, the guidance calls a whole apple, banana, orange, pear, or mango a single portion. Half an avocado, two plums, and two handfuls of raspberries. When it comes to those guesstimates, we say measure the first portion out by weight, so you can see what it should look like before going for the handful approach.
How much fruit and veg should you eat a day?
The ‘5 a Day’ rule is a low bar. The actual recommendation is double that, but, understandably, saying ‘10 a Day’ is a much harder target and most will find it discouraging enough to not bother even attempting it.
However, let’s look at the NHS’ achievable ‘5 a Day’ guidance. You’ll need to eat a minimum of 400g of different fruits and vegetables per day. Of course, the more you eat the better. A diet full of fruit and veg is good for your health: it helps reduce your blood pressure, cholesterol, weight, and increases your energy levels.
