HEALTH & WELLBEING
5 WAYS TO GET MORE FRUIT & VEG
H
ave you ever wondered where the 5-a-day
lunch, just whisk up eggs with veggies like onions,
comes from? The 5-a-day recommendation is
mushrooms, broccoli and peppers – or anything else you
based on advice from the World Health
like or have in the fridge.
Organization (WHO), which recommends eating a
2. Cauli rice and courgette noodles – these are
minimum of 400g, or 5 x 80g portion, of fruit and veg a
alternatives to your normal rice and pasta. You can get
day. Research shows that easting at least 400g of plant
them ready-made from a supermarket, or make your
foods reduces the risk of serious health problems, such as
own. Simply chop a cauliflower into florets and pulse in a
heart disease, stroke and some types of cancer, and helps
food processor until the cauliflower resembles rice-like
to ensure an adequate daily intake of fibre. It’s important
consistency. Then, sauté with olive oil, spices, or a dash of
to note that 400g or 5 portions a day is really a
soya sauce.
minimum.
Similarly, courgette noodles can be made with a spiraliser,
It may sound like a lot, but 1 portion (80g) is a medium banana or a handful of berries, a half of
then sautéed with olive oil and garlic, and used in dishes that call for noodles, pasta or with a salad.
courgette or pepper, 8 florets of cauliflower or broccoli,
3. Stir-fries, stews, curries, casserole, pasta bakes – these
and 3 heaped tablespoons of peas or sweetcorn.
are great to increase veggie content, especially if you use
But how can you make sure you get your 5-a-day? 1. Make an omelette or frittata – perfect for breakfast or
cauli rice and courgette noodles. Be brave and experiment. Frozen veg can work well in stews and curries, and they’re often cheaper than fresh. Okra, sweet potato, butternut, peas, green beans are good example,
PUZZLE
and also there is no need to wash, peel and chop them.
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4. Smoothies – these are great, but it’s important to incorporate vegetables and protein into them, so that they’re not too sugary. Think of adding ripe avocado, a
Solution on page 27.
handful of spinach, kale, almond butter, flaxseeds, and low sugar fruit such as berries, or cherries. They can even be made into ice lollies in summer too. 5. Hide veggies in mash or homemade pasta sauce and burgers – add swede, parsnip or celeriac to your mash, or make mash from sweet potato or cauliflower. By making your own tomato sauce you can add chopped carrot, pepper or roasted butternut. Making burgers at home is also a great way to smuggle in some veggies such as grated courgette, carrot, mushrooms, sweet corn or broccoli. If you make sure you have some fruit and veg with every meal through the day, or even as a snack, you can easily smash the 5-a-day target. www.annapinnock.co.uk
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JUNE/JULY 2020
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