Fruit and veg! I love it! We all know the current guidelines state that you should be eating at least 5 portions of fruit and veg a day, which equates to around 400g. That seems pretty doable right? Well, scientists are now saying that to reach optimal health goals and to possibly prevent 7.8 million premature deaths worldwide, we should be aiming for 10 portions. Still doable?
For the full article click here
As a plant-based eater I consume a lot of fruit and vegetables but, 10 per day? I’m not so sure. That’s 800g… Combine that with the 2 liters of water it’s recommended you drink each day, and crikey, you are definitely going to feel the bloat. All that fibre, all that liquid, will your gut really thank you?
Let’s break this down, with a little help from the NHS website, 1 portion equates to 80g which is the equivalent to:
Fruit
1 banana, apple, orange, nectarine, pear or other medium fruit. 2 satsumas, kiwis, plums and other small fruit. 3 apricots, 6 lychees, 7 berries, 12 grapes, 14 cherries. A grapefruit counts as 2 and 5cm slices of papaya, melon, pineapple and other ‘large’ fruits count as 1.
You can also include dried and tinned fruit but as these are so high in sugar, you should definitely limit your intake.
Vegetables
4 heaped tablespoons of leafy green veg (cabbage, kale, ect) is 1 portion, or 2 broccoli/cauliflower florets. It’s 3 heaped tablespoons of carrots, sweetcorn, peas and all other cooked veggies. 3 sticks of celery, a 5cm slice of cucumber, half a medium capsicum and 7 cherry tomatoes. Frozen and tinned veg also count.
Pulses and Beans
3 heaped tablespoons of beans and pulses (lentils, kidney beans, chickpeas) but regardless of how much you consume it can only count as 1 portion.
So, realistically could you consume 10 portions per day, everyday? Let’s make a mock menu 🙂
Breakfast: Fruit Salad: 12 grapes, 1 apple chopped, 2 satsumas segmented, 2 slices of melon diced = 5 portions (but sooo much sugar)
Lunch: A mashed chickpea sandwich with spinach and grated carrot = 3 portions
Dinner: A veggie stir fry with brown rice: Bean sprouts, broccoli, capsicum, onion, zucchini = 5 portions
I think this could be doable, when you break it down it isn’t as hard as it first sounds. If you avoid processed foods, make each dish from scratch, plan your meals and invest in a weighing scales and a smoothie maker for the days you’re feeling lazy, I think we could all be a lot healthier and a lot more nutritionally satisfied… oh and everyone will experience the vegan bloat, it won’t just be me anymore, yay!
For more info on plant-based eating I highly recommend reading How Not To Die by Michael Greger. It’s fascinating and if it doesn’t encourage you to eat your greens, nothing will! Also, this article from The Guardian is very interesting and can certainly help you to factor in your ’10 a day’. And for those of you that like a good doco, download Forks Over Knives, you’ll be pleased you did!
Please comment below if you have tried to get your ’10 a day’ or have any opinions on the matter! And for more vegan foodie fun please check out Without_Cruelty on Instagram ✌ ❤
A Life Without Cruelty 
It is entirely possible! We consume 9-10 per day. Variety is key in getting the full cadre of micro-nutrients. No bloating here either. Nice post, Maxine.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for the comment Shannon. The more I’m thinking about it the more likely it seems! It’s 3pm and I’ve already hit 7 so, I’m over half way there. I think I just need to focus on veggies as the sugar in fruits is too much for my body to handle. Pleased to hear you don’t bloat, what’s your secret lol!
LikeLike
LEAVES. They don’t make you gassy (except brassica family, cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts, etc.) and are loaded with nature’s goodness — yes, even protein, I tell the naysayers. LOL
Whatever meal we eat has 1/3 in bulk of leaves (cooked or raw) topped with low sugar fruits (squash, pepper, tomato), a legume and/or grain, and nut/seed.
An example: wilted kale goes well with lentils and brown/black rice, with cumin/mustard/thyme seasoning, roasted eggplant, sprinkles with sesame seed (and crunchy croutons if you’re not gluten-free). As we keep the cooked goods in the fridge (legumes and rice) this is a 15-min heat and eat meal for one — large bowl!! Will satisfy you and last several hours without making you feel too full.
Fresh diced pepper goes with everything — loaded with Vit C. Fresh fruit or nuts for snacks in between meals. Works for all six of us, from 55-yr-old dad down to 10-yr girl.
I should probably do a post about it…:D
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh wow! Thanks Shannon, this is so great and sounds so tasty! Good advice about the leaves, I shall definitely take that on board! It would make an awesome blog post, I’m sure there are lots of people out there who would like to introduce more veggies in to their diets 😀
LikeLike
Fruits, leaves, stems, roots, seeds — they’re ALL vegetables! It’s important, however, to distinguish between the different parts of plants (for instance, fruits and roots are where the plant’s sugars are stored), and leaves are the ‘factories’ (where photons get converted into sugars).
Here’s a page about why leaves are the foundation of our plant-based diet. http://wp.me/P28k6D-1vU
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much!
LikeLike
It’s a struggle for me everyday, I have to consciously think about eating more produce. There’s an Android app by the doctor who wrote How Not To Die, called Daily Dozen, that helps me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m reading that book right now, it’s such an interesting and easy read. For a topic that can get quite heavy, the author makes it so simple and sound very achievable. I’m pleased to hear there’s an app, technology always helps! And good luck with adding more fruits and veggies to your diet, 10 a day does seem pretty epic!
LikeLike