Seven portions of fruit and veg a day for best health, says study
Experts say we need at least seven daily portions of fruit and veg to stay in top shape, and we're being warned that tinned and frozen fruit does not count.
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A new study suggests eating seven or more daily helpings of fruit and veg can reduce a person’s risk of dying of cancer by 25% and heart disease by 31%.
Any benefits of eating most kinds of tinned fruit are outweigned by the higher sugar content.
The research, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, has come from University College London, where food scientists examined the eating habits of 65,000 people in England between 2001 and 2013.
They found that seven or more helpings a day can reduce a person’s overall risk of death by 42% when compared to people who manage just one whole portion every day.
The authors claim that canned and frozen fruit appeared to increase the risk of death, instead of decrease it, and no significant benefit of fruit juice was noted.
The authors said the findings lend support to the Australian government’s advice of “two plus five” a day, encouraging people to eat two helpings of fruit and five portions of vegetables.
Nutritionist Nicole Berberian said: "We're trying to get a shift where people are eating a plant-based diet, which doesn't mean vegetarian. It just means lots of vegetables and fruits making up that same plate of food," she said.
