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A healthy diet is not only about cutting out or reducing the amount of
fat that is eaten in the diet and keeping active, the right amount of
fruit and vegetable in the diet is essential in order to keep fit and
healthy.
Doctors and health care workers insist that you should eat 5 portions
of fruit and vegetable every single day.
Here are some tips to help you meet this requirement
* Have plenty of choice - by keeping fruit and vegetables to hand you
are more likely to choose a healthy apple than you are a chocolate biscuit,
always make sure you keep a fruit bowl on the kitchen counter and dip
into this when you fancy something to nibble.
* Prepare vegetable beforehand - cut up some carrot sticks and store them
in the refrigerator and nibble on these when you have hunger pangs.
* Add to your cooking - if you are making a stew then add sliced apples,
add sliced courgettes or grated carrots to salads and pasta dishes or
add tinned fruit to jellies and cakes.
* Choose meals packed with veg - if you are having soup then choose ones
with added vegetables, there not only good for you but they will also
fill you up more. If having frozen pizza then choose a cheese and tomato
and add your own mushrooms and veg, if your cooking pasta then add plenty
of veg to the tomato based sauce.
* Make healthy deserts - don't go for chocolate cake with cream based
fillings, make jellies with fruit, fruit salads or low fat chocolate cake
topped with strawberries, ice cream with banana or your favourite fruit.
* Choose healthy fruit drinks - instead of tea and coffee choose healthy
100% fruit juice or vegetable juice.
Fruit and vegetables make excellent nibbles throughout the day as a healthy
alternative to biscuits, sweets or crisps. Always make sure that you keep
a bowl of fresh fruit to hand on the counter top and instead of reaching
for a chocolate bar then have a banana or apple.
You might be surprised to learn that tinned fruit and vegetables also
count as a healthy choice, when you cook fresh vegetables don't overcook
them as this can strip them of vital nutrients and vitamins and frozen
vegetables can be used if you are short on time, although fresh are preferable.
What exactly is a portion?
So doctors recommend that we eat 5 portions of fruit and veg per day,
but what exactly is a portion?
* 1 apple, pear, banana or similar sized piece of fruit
* 2 plums
* ½ a grapefruit or similar sized fruit
* 1 slice of fruit such as melon
* 1 heaped tablespoon of dried fruit
* 1 handful of grapes, raisins or berries
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