Register

Five-a-day-again

How to curb your cravings and stay away from the ice cream!
User avatar
Posts: 4986
Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:30 pm
Location: Provence

Five-a-day-again

Postby Joanbunting » Tue May 15, 2012 11:45 am

Morning all,

I happened to see this yesterday

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-18032209.

i do wonder just how much good is done by banging on about the same old things ?

We all know we should be eating at least (some research has suggested more) five portions but common sense should tell us that it is not always possible for everyone every day.

How do you manage - are you completely committed or do you not worry too much but believe you get enough fruit and veg over the week ?

User avatar
Posts: 4139
Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 2:02 pm
Location: Stoke Newington, London

Re: Five-a-day-again

Postby Stokey Sue » Tue May 15, 2012 12:48 pm

I can never work out what people put on their plates if they don't eat 5 a-day - pretty much the only time I don't make it is when I have wall-to-wall meetings and get fed sandwiches. Or on planes!

I think better to keep on ploughing the same furrow than to chop and change - it's a nice simple concept, that schools can work with.

peopel aren't always going to follow recommendations, but they have to be ther for those who want a target

User avatar
Posts: 488
Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 10:17 pm
Location: East Anglia, UK

Re: Five-a-day-again

Postby Suelle » Tue May 15, 2012 12:50 pm

I'm fairly committed to 5-a-day, but don't go out of my way to cram extra in if I come up a bit short occasionally.

I eat a banana at breakfast, an apple at lunch, and another portion or two of fruit during the evening. I assume that I get the other two portions in the amount of vegetables I eat in the main meal of the day, but might be slightly short with some meals, although it would be very few. I'm pretty sure I get an average of 5-a-day.

We've all known the recommendations for long enough - those who don't already eat enough probably won't take any notice of new campaigns.
The blog which does what it says on the tin:

http://mainlybaking.blogspot.co.uk/

User avatar
Posts: 186
Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 12:42 pm

Re: Five-a-day-again

Postby efcliz » Tue May 15, 2012 12:57 pm

I can quite easily and often have a Saturday where I don't eat ANY portions, or only 1, but I usually eat far in excess of 5 during the week, sometimes up to 9 or 10, so I let it balance itself out over the week.

Posts: 50
Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 9:07 pm

Re: Five-a-day-again

Postby Catherine » Wed May 16, 2012 12:49 am

I think I would probably have more problems getting my quota down to 5 portions than getting enough. I eat loads of fruit and veg, and honestly do enjoy them.

During in the week I am responsible for my Nephews food. Thinking of what I have given them today, they have had apple juice with their cereal followed by a banana, so that is 2 portions. They had some grapes mid morning so 3, At lunch they had a sandwich with a pot each of olives, cherry tomatoes and cucumber. 4 yr old probably had about 7 olives, 7 cherry tomatoes and 5 thick slices of cucumber so I would say 2 portions there. which makes 5 portions so far. He had an apple for snack at nursery so we are at 6 then for dinner I made cottage pie which had carrot, celery and onion in it and would be at least one portion and they had broccoli and more carrots so another 1 at least, making 8 portions in all. I think my sister had bought some blueberries and raspberries when she got home so they would have scoffed them so potentially 9 I guess we are lucky that they love their fruit and veg, but they help their daddy grow it on the allotment.

User avatar
Posts: 4986
Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:30 pm
Location: Provence

Re: Five-a-day-again

Postby Joanbunting » Wed May 16, 2012 10:05 am

There is nothing like getting small people to help in the garden to encourage them to eat more fruit and veg , especially if they then get to chop it up with a big knife and then cook it!

User avatar
Posts: 187
Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 2:43 pm
Location: Northern France

Re: Five-a-day-again

Postby Tatihou » Wed May 16, 2012 10:10 am

efcliz wrote:I can quite easily and often have a Saturday where I don't eat ANY portions, or only 1, but I usually eat far in excess of 5 during the week, sometimes up to 9 or 10, so I let it balance itself out over the week.

Yes, this is how I am. Often I've had "five" by lunch (apple, carrot and banana in a smoothie, salad (coleslaw, tomato, beetroot, orange, etc) with lunch. But some days - usually at the weekend - I may be seriously lacking in fresh veg, mostly through lack of time to eat. So overall, I definitely get a mix of fruit and vegetables in the right quantities... just not every day.

I think the "five" is a good rule of thumb but as we're all interested in food on here, I think it's a rule that we already understand and probably incorporate without thinking. Nowadays, it's really something to encourage those who grew up thinking that a MacDo and a plate of KFC daily provides a good and sustaining diet. :mrgreen:

User avatar
Posts: 4986
Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:30 pm
Location: Provence

Re: Five-a-day-again

Postby Joanbunting » Wed May 16, 2012 3:20 pm

Hi again Tatihou,

Absolutely!

However, at the risk of being a bore, if our experience in the US is anything to go by what consititutes fresh fruit and vegetables may not be clear in everyone's minds.

Chips, maccaroni cheese, pizza topping or "fruit"(ie sugar laden) drinks are considered by too many to be part of the five-a-day. It said so in big letters on the "Healthy Eating - eat Five Portions" notice in the canteen in grandson's school.

On the other hand preaching doesn't help either and it seemed to me that no amount of information would budge those responsible for food in the schools in Virginia Beach :shock: :shock:

Just how should the message be put across - I would love to know.

User avatar
Posts: 3832
Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 6:28 pm

Re: Five-a-day-again

Postby jeral » Wed May 16, 2012 6:07 pm

Well, these things have to be "top down". I think it was and is good that the government here broadcast what most people probably understand, i.e. know what 5-a-day means - an admirably simple message. Whether people take note I don't know but it's good to have a constant reminder (or monkey on your back).

Some microwaves are designed to be filling so a meal in themselves which probably dissuades people from bothering with veg, but microwaves with veg wouldn't fill healthy eaters up for very long unless doubled up.

The struggle is trying to keep food to a price point. It's been said often that veg ain't cheap and in fairness some supermarkets have tried to promote pick-up size or mixed items at a good price.

It is well known that kids get fidgety if they are hungry (or thirsty), so perhaps it's easier to keep kids docile by filling them up. The increase in obesity in the UK seems not to have been helped by selling off for land value school playing fields and reducing physical exercise from the curriculum. In some schools the main physical activity is, if anything, an after-school option - though not for those who need to be picked up at school end-time re family commitments. In other schools, some exercise eats into lunch break, so no chance of anything but gobbling food down before next class.

5-a-day message is great. Just need a fairy godmother to wave a wand over other aspects of life.

User avatar
Posts: 4139
Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 2:02 pm
Location: Stoke Newington, London

Re: Five-a-day-again

Postby Stokey Sue » Wed May 16, 2012 6:32 pm

I don't think all US schools are quite that bad Joan

The official, national, recommendations are the USDA food pyramid promoted by Michelle Obama, which recommends 2-4 servings of fruit a day, and plus 3 to 5 vegetable servings

The examples given of a serving are
1 cup raw leafy veg
1/2 cup other chopped veg,. raw or cooked
3/4 cup veg juice
1 medium apple, banana or orange
1/2 cup other chopped fruit,. raw or cooked
3/4 cup juice

So much the same as EU

The poster you saw was almost certainly supplied by the catering firm - there's a scandal that the nutritional guidelines for school meals have been subverted by caterers being allowed ot claim that htings like pizza include a serving of veg etc

But the standard taught to kids is supposed to be the USDA guideline
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MyPyramid

User avatar
Posts: 45
Joined: Wed May 09, 2012 2:20 pm
Location: N.Aberdeenshire

Re: Five-a-day-again

Postby Capt_Lightning » Wed May 16, 2012 7:54 pm

Oh blow this 5-a-day. Nobody has ever explained satisfactorily to me WHY 5. The closest that I have found is that it was an advertising slogan from Florida. The health people there thought that cancer might have been linked to deficiencies in the diet, and the fruit producers had a surplus of fruit.

I recon that if you eat a sensible, balanced diet, you don't need to count. I don't.

User avatar
Posts: 3832
Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 6:28 pm

Re: Five-a-day-again

Postby jeral » Wed May 16, 2012 9:23 pm

Some disagree but I go with colours, e.g. yellow/orange for Vit A & C, red like tomatoes for Vit D, cauli and others for Vit K (and C), greens for iron and Vit E. Beans/seeds/nuts for Vit B and other minerals.

I've always thought that 5-a-day was to encourage people to eat at least some more than they do at present, so marmalade on toast for breakfast, burger with token salad for lunch and microwave tea and biscuits for supper didn't cut it but adding fresh fruit and veg will help.

I have an argument about how much goodness is left in long-stored fruit and veg. Even so, if it's what's in the shops, kinda stuck with that and if it replaces some fat and sugar, can't be a bad thing.

User avatar
Posts: 22
Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 8:18 am
Location: Glasgow

Re: Five-a-day-again

Postby Bababoom » Wed May 16, 2012 9:56 pm

I don't really count every day, no, but I do eat a lot of veg. We get a large veg box with a soup bag every week, and we get through it, although we are only 2 and a half people. But then I think that's cos I eat far too much - for example, tonight I cooked an onion, a courgette, a red pepper, half an aubergine and had them in *three* wholemeal tortillas with some cheese. That's at least twice as much as I should have had, really, and that would explain the size of my backside. I often take large tubs of homemade soup to work, and what with the apple and orange I'll have with breakfast, I've usually had my 5 by lunchtime, but that doesn't make me a healthy person.

User avatar
Posts: 4986
Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:30 pm
Location: Provence

Re: Five-a-day-again

Postby Joanbunting » Wed May 16, 2012 10:00 pm

Stokey Sue wrote:I don't think all US schools are quite that bad Joan

The official, national, recommendations are the USDA food pyramid promoted by Michelle Obama, which recommends 2-4 servings of fruit a day, and plus 3 to 5 vegetable servings

The examples given of a serving are
1 cup raw leafy veg
1/2 cup other chopped veg,. raw or cooked
3/4 cup veg juice
1 medium apple, banana or orange
1/2 cup other chopped fruit,. raw or cooked
3/4 cup juice

So much the same as EU

The poster you saw was almost certainly supplied by the catering firm - there's a scandal that the nutritional guidelines for school meals have been subverted by caterers being allowed ot claim that htings like pizza include a serving of veg etc

But the standard taught to kids is supposed to be the USDA guideline
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MyPyramid


if only Sue

If you go to the website for the school meals it looks (more or less ) fine but in reality the meals are ****

Nobody actually checks it seems.

User avatar
Posts: 179
Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 5:13 pm

Re: Five-a-day-again

Postby cooksalot » Wed May 16, 2012 10:38 pm

I think the 5 a day idea is good. It reminds and encourages me to eat a variety of fruit and veg and to keep an eye on my family's intake. I don't treat it as rule that can never be broken but I do find it helpful.

User avatar
Posts: 45
Joined: Wed May 09, 2012 2:20 pm
Location: N.Aberdeenshire

Re: Five-a-day-again

Postby Capt_Lightning » Thu May 17, 2012 10:35 am

How did we ever survive without slogans? This 5-a-day must be an answer to a marketing person's prayer. I don't argue with the wisdom of eating a healthy balanced diet containing a good portion of fruit and veges, but I'm sure neither did my parents nor grandparents - who all lived to a good age without the benefit of somebody telling them to eat 5 a day!!

And now here's an irony. Suddenly we're getting TV ads. for people who adhere to a "healthy lifestyle" , but their dentist is pointing out that this can weaken their teeth - so they'd better brush twice a day with "Fang" - or some other specially formulated brand. I wish that I worked in advertising.

User avatar
Posts: 186
Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 12:42 pm

Re: Five-a-day-again

Postby efcliz » Thu May 17, 2012 10:57 am

How did we ever survive without slogans? This 5-a-day must be an answer to a marketing person's prayer. I don't argue with the wisdom of eating a healthy balanced diet containing a good portion of fruit and veges, but I'm sure neither did my parents nor grandparents - who all lived to a good age without the benefit of somebody telling them to eat 5 a day!!



Well yes, but your grandparents didn't live in an era of ready meals, large supermarkets and microwaves! In my office at work, people who you wouldn't think of as particularly unhealthy will have a piece of toast or cereal for breafast and a ham or cheese sandwich plus yoghurt or crips for lunch quite easily on most days. With no fruit in between that means they aren't eating ANY until the evening, and when I ask them what they eat in the evening it could quite often be sausage and mash, or lobby, or spag bol - home cooked, but containing only the skimpiest of veg portions.

User avatar
Posts: 4139
Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 2:02 pm
Location: Stoke Newington, London

Re: Five-a-day-again

Postby Stokey Sue » Thu May 17, 2012 12:33 pm

Joanbunting wrote:if only Sue

If you go to the website for the school meals it looks (more or less ) fine but in reality the meals are ****

Nobody actually checks it seems.



Yes, the point I was making is that there is a huge, and scandalous, discrepancy in US between what is taught in class (the USDA recommendations, equivlanet to our five a day) and what is allowed in canteens (pizza as a veg). As in the UK, the US really abandoned the nutritional minimums for school meals just at the point where the obesity epidemic struck, and that is clearly wrong.

Many peopele in the US are very well aware of this, and there have been angry debates about it in the legislature

What you saw in one school cnateen is not representative of the whole of the US!

User avatar
Posts: 179
Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 5:13 pm

Re: Five-a-day-again

Postby cooksalot » Thu May 17, 2012 2:02 pm

[quote="Capt_Lightning"]How did we ever survive without slogans? This 5-a-day must be an answer to a marketing person's prayer. I don't argue with the wisdom of eating a healthy balanced diet containing a good portion of fruit and veges, but I'm sure neither did my parents nor grandparents - who all lived to a good age without the benefit of somebody telling them to eat 5 a day!! quote]

I don't think we have ever not had slogans - for example: "dig for victory", "an apple a day keeps the doctor away". Parents and grandparents will have been told to "go to work on an egg"; or that "guinness is good for you". Sure there are lots more I can't think of!
No-one is "telling" anyone to eat 5-a-day - it is a health advice campaign based on research, (which you may, or may not, disagree with). The "marketing people" who will benefit from a "5-a-day" campaign will be those involved in promoting fruit and vegetables. Is that so bad?

User avatar
Posts: 4139
Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 2:02 pm
Location: Stoke Newington, London

Re: Five-a-day-again

Postby Stokey Sue » Thu May 17, 2012 2:39 pm

I'm with you cooksalot

Nanny does not stand over you and enforce 5 a day

It a best practice guideline that is all

You can choose not to adopt best prctice, if you don't want to.

But surely it is helpful to know what the best practice is?

And let's nail this silly urban myth about it only being a Florida advertising slogan - they may possibly have been the first to use the phrase exactly as written, but before it was made an official UK guideline, there was a significant working party of highly qualified and experienced people looking into what should be in the UK best pactice guidance, I remember reading the report in the BMJ at the time (years ago)

Next

Return to Healthy Eating

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests