You are probably aware of the new advice that we should now be eating 7 fruit and vegetable portions a day, rather than 5: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-26818377

… and I reckon a lot of people (especially Mum’s) are wondering how this is possible, especially as a lot of people are probably not even clear as to what a portion actually consists of!

As a result, I have given a guide below as to portion sizes:

Fruit

• One banana, orange, pear or apple or a similar sized fruit
• Half a large grapefruit or avocado
• A slice of large fruit such as melon or pineapple
• Two satsumas, plums or similar sized fruit
• A handful of grapes, cherries or berries
• One heaped tablespoon of dried fruit (such as raisins and apricots or three heaped tablespoons of fruit salad (fresh/tinned in fruit juice) or stewed fruit

Vegetables

•  Three heaped tablespoons of vegetables (raw, cooked, frozen or tinned)
• Three heaped tablespoons of beans and pulses, such as baked or kidney beans (however much you eat, beans and pulses only count as one of your five a day portions)
• One dessert bowl of salad

As another guideline, 1 portion of fruit and vegetables should weight approx. 80g and a more detailed breakdown of specific fruits and vegetables can be found at: 5ADAY_portion_guide.pdf or:  http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/5ADAY/Pages/Portionsizes.aspx