5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day?

You’ve probably heard this nutritional recommendation: you should eat 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day. But how up-to-date and useful is this guideline actually? Some people might have a very stressful schedule but you can manage eating the right amount of fruits while being on your favourite betting site.

The ‘5-a-day’ recommendation is part of a global initiative aimed at improving people’s health by increasing their intake of fruit and vegetables. The campaign was launched in the USA in the 1990s as ‘5 A Day – For a better Health’. The National Cancer Institute was in charge – because there was evidence that eating more fruit and vegetables could prevent cancer.

In 2000, the 5-a-day initiative was launched in Germany by the German Cancer Society (DKG) and the German Nutrition Society (DGE), among others. The specially founded association ‘5 am Tag e. V.’ created information and advertising materials, involved nutrition experts and supported projects, particularly in schools and kindergartens – all with the aim of increasing the consumption of fruit and vegetables among the population.

Easy to remember: 5 handfuls of fruit and vegetables a day

The rule of thumb ‘five portions of fruit and vegetables a day’ is intended to make the 5-a-day rule easy to remember. A portion is measured by hand: This means that one portion is as much as you can fit in your hand. If you are tall, your portion is automatically larger than a smaller person – this makes the concept easy for children to understand and implement.

The five portions include everything from raw vegetables and salad to cooked vegetables, fresh and dried fruit, pulses, nuts and juices. The original recommendation was three portions of vegetables and two portions of fruit.

Fruit and vegetables: what are the differences?

You may have wondered why a distinction has long been made between fruit and vegetables. Compared to vegetables, fruit has a higher energy density and contains more fruit sugar (fructose). Too much fructose can increase the risk of diabetes, liver disease and cardiovascular disease.

However, a distinction must be made between added and naturally occurring fructose: Fructose has long been used instead of sugar in processed foods. Fructose was used in particular in foods for diabetics because – unlike other types of sugar – it does not trigger the release of insulin. In contrast, fructose is naturally present in fruit (and to a lesser extent in vegetables). It is now assumed that the naturally occurring fructose in fruit is harmless in a balanced diet.

Fruit and vegetables: new DGE recommendations

At the beginning of 2024, the German Nutrition Society published new recommendations: The food-related dietary recommendations state: fruit and vegetables provide plenty of vitamins, minerals, fibre and secondary plant substances. They are good for your health and contribute to satiety. Enjoy at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day, preferably in their respective harvest season.

The DGE has therefore stuck to its basic recommendation of five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, although it has added that this should be three portions of vegetables and two portions of fruit, but no more. A colourful selection includes both fruit and vegetables – but the main thing is that people in Germany eat more of them. Fruit has a higher energy density than vegetables. People who are mindful of their energy intake are more likely to choose vegetables over fruit.

The DGE gives the following guide values for a healthy adult:

  • 550 grams of fruit and vegetables (5 portions of 110 grams each) per day
  • 200 grams of juices (2 glasses of 100 grams each) per week
  • 125 grams of pulses per week
  • 25 grams of nuts and seeds per day

Leave a Comment