UK Vegetable recommendations now 7 servings daily

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Replies

  • eldamiano
    eldamiano Posts: 2,667 Member
    Probably because most people dont get 5 a day, more like 2-3. So if you have a recommendation of 7, then you would be more inclined to get about 4-5 as you think you are getting 7.

    Unrealistic target though. Who is actually going to adhere to these guidelines?
  • asciiqwerty
    asciiqwerty Posts: 565 Member
    interestingly other counties already recommend 2+5 or 8 or 4

    so the five a day was never universal - i'm thinking htat 560g of veg a day will make me very bloated - i don't think my tummy is big enought

    though it is april the 1st so maybe...
  • Madame_Goldbricker
    Madame_Goldbricker Posts: 1,625 Member
    Sponsored by the union of green grocers association?
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    Potato! Eat them up, yumm.
  • Emi1974
    Emi1974 Posts: 522 Member
    That's ridiculous!

    You either like veggies and eat without any need for encouragement, or you don't and no amount of recommendation will change that. You will still eat only as much as you can stomach.

    For me it is just off-putting as I really hate people pushing something.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    interestingly other counties already recommend 2+5 or 8 or 4

    so the five a day was never universal - i'm thinking htat 560g of veg a day will make me very bloated - i don't think my tummy is big enought

    though it is april the 1st so maybe...

    if thats the best April fool that they could come up with, theres something wrong with the world...
  • craignev
    craignev Posts: 1,247 Member
    Sponsored by the union of green grocers association?
    ^^^This
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    Potato! Eat them up, yumm.

    they are specifically excluded !
  • fitgirlandfoodie
    fitgirlandfoodie Posts: 1,014 Member
    I remember reading somewhere that in Japan it was something like 11+ servings...cultural variations perhaps?
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    if thats the best April fool that they could come up with, theres something wrong with the world...

    It's science, well epidemiology at least. http://jech.bmj.com/content/early/2014/03/03/jech-2013-203500.full.pdf+html

    No change to the recommendations, just fancy maths proving that someone who eats more vegetables (and fruit, maybe) is less likely to die in a car accident. Or did I interpret "all cause mortality" wrong. LOL.
  • snowbike
    snowbike Posts: 153 Member
    Watched this on the BBC this morning. Some nutritionist saying smoothies are not part of your 5 (or 7) a day as the Fiber is broken down. <face palm>

    Dietary fiber comprises of long chain polysacharides which we cannot digest.
    Putting these chemicals in a blender will not break them down any more than puting crude oil into a liquidiser can take the place of an oil refinery.

    If I include my morning smootie Im nearer 10 a day.
  • Dewymorning
    Dewymorning Posts: 762 Member
    if thats the best April fool that they could come up with, theres something wrong with the world...

    It's science, well epidemiology at least. http://jech.bmj.com/content/early/2014/03/03/jech-2013-203500.full.pdf+html

    No change to the recommendations, just fancy maths proving that someone who eats more vegetables (and fruit, maybe) is less likely to die in a car accident. Or did I interpret "all cause mortality" wrong. LOL.

    People who are rich and risk adverse live longer???
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
    It's not an April fools - the Austrailian guidelines have been 7-9 portions for some time.

    I think the issue is with these studies is that they look at the correlation of health in people against the amount of fruit and vegetables they eat.

    The studies fail to look at other lifestyle factors. For example, those with better overall diets are probably more likely to care about health and fitness and therefore probably also get more exercise on average than people who eat little/no fruit and vegetables, eat more wholefoods and homecooked meals, etc.

    Correlation =/= causation
  • KentWhiteRabbit
    KentWhiteRabbit Posts: 92 Member
    Since the serving size is a set amount it seems mad that all adults are being recommended the same amount of servings. A percentage of total calories would make more sense to me.

    Surely little old me at 8.5st eating 1300 calories can't be expected to fit in as much fruit and veg as my 16st husband who scoffs 2000+ calories a day?

    I'd have no room left for wine!
  • VintagePhoenix
    VintagePhoenix Posts: 55
    I think we should have an mfp fruit/veg counter like the water counter please!!
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    I'm so behind on my fruits and veg. :frown:
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    Potato! Eat them up, yumm.

    they are specifically excluded !

    They shouldn't be.

    potato-218x320.png
  • xamykate
    xamykate Posts: 8
    80g of certain fruits/veggies isn't actually that much :/

    1 banana, 1 apple, 1 serving of grapes, little fruit pots, 1 potato will all be above that.

    Also, things like lentil soups, homemade blended veggie sauces for pasta etc. will help that.

    I don't see what the big fuss is.
  • asciiqwerty
    asciiqwerty Posts: 565 Member
    I think we should have an mfp fruit/veg counter like the water counter please!!

    ^^ I would too, as it would be nice to be able to track it - though I have been wondering about adding it to my list of things I can "check-in" instead

    though I was wondering: are all portion sizes the same? maybe someome in Japan or Australia could enlighten me - do you also consider "a portion" of vergetables to be 80g?
  • asciiqwerty
    asciiqwerty Posts: 565 Member
    80g of certain fruits/veggies isn't actually that much :/

    ^^ 80 grams isn't - but 560g seems like quite a lot to me - I know if it's all green veg then it'ss be quite low calorie - but still, if you're including a salad that's quite a large volume to chomp through

    of course taking longer to eat also has its advantages, though generally, I know I find it easier to eat fruit than vegies, and it should be rebalanced with more veggies than fruit
  • Jenky85
    Jenky85 Posts: 190 Member
    Since the serving size is a set amount it seems mad that all adults are being recommended the same amount of servings. A percentage of total calories would make more sense to me.

    Surely little old me at 8.5st eating 1300 calories can't be expected to fit in as much fruit and veg as my 16st husband who scoffs 2000+ calories a day?

    I'd have no room left for wine!

    Wine is one of your 5 (7) a day though...right....right?! :embarassed:
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
    Australian government serving size guidelines:

    http://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/how-much-do-we-need-each-day/serve-sizes

    ETA the recommendations are 5 portions of vegetables and 2 portions of fruit. However, a vegetable 'portion' is 75g but a fruit 'portion' is 150g = 675g total.
  • Jennikitten
    Jennikitten Posts: 142 Member
    It has always been known that it should be 7+ but the government thought that setting it so high would put people off trying (hence the 5)

    additionally the reason potatoes are excluded is so that people can't say 'chips count'
  • thankyou4thevenom
    thankyou4thevenom Posts: 1,581 Member
    That's cool. I'll just have an extra potion of tomato ketchup with everything. That'll sort it.
  • sneaks
    sneaks Posts: 19
    I average about 1 a day. Usually salad with my evening meal, but it's definitely not 80g worth so probably not even that.

    I'm hoping tea counts, I have loads of tea and that's made out of leaves, leaves = veg ;-)
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 8,003 Member
    That's cool. I'll just have an extra potion of tomato ketchup with everything. That'll sort it.

    In Texas I remember they reclassified ketchup as a vegetable, so that school lunches would fall within the nutritional guidelines.
  • thankyou4thevenom
    thankyou4thevenom Posts: 1,581 Member
    That's cool. I'll just have an extra potion of tomato ketchup with everything. That'll sort it.

    In Texas I remember they reclassified ketchup as a vegetable, so that school lunches would fall within the nutritional guidelines.

    I'd better move to Texas then. :laugh:
  • Boogage
    Boogage Posts: 739 Member
    This is a bad joke. Most people are struggling to get food on the table at all and they come out with this just to rub salt in the wound. Potatoes, canned and frozen veg and fruit isn't included and we have no hope of being able to afford that much fresh food for the 7 of us. I'll just keep doing the best I can for my family.
  • Boogage
    Boogage Posts: 739 Member
    Not to mention that the day before yesterday scientists were saying that global warming is likely to cause starvation and war because we can't grow the crops.
  • fitness_faeiry
    fitness_faeiry Posts: 354 Member
    I am not sure why people have so much trouble eating their portions of fruit and veg. Vegetables are possibly the single most nutritious things you can put into your body. Low calorie and full of vitamins minerals and micronutrients. The easiest thing to do is to make sure you're eating some at every meal time. Spinach and mushrooms in an omelette - 3-4 vegetables in a stiryfry, it's pretty easy if you base every meal around veg. Plus if you're eating your protein at every meal, you need a good quantity of high fibre vegetables to aid with digestion. I'm no nutritionist, but educating yourself on the fundamentals is important and should be taught to kid at an early age.

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