Fruit and vegetables - something our parents coerced us to consume growing up... But why are they so important? And how much should you be having?

Eating a good source of fruit and vegetables is important for various reasons…it reduces risk of heart disease and some cancers, it insures you intake a variety of essential vitamins and minerals, it increases immunity, it helps with bowel movements and gut health, gives you more energy to keep up with busy lives, and they’re also a great way to boost the volume of your meals for additional satiety (how full you feel), especially if you have fat loss goal.

The Australian recommended intake is 2 serves of fruit and 6 serves of vegetables per day. One serving of vegetables is approximately 75g (approximately one cup of salad or half a potato) and one serve of fruit is approximately 150g (one medium apple is around 70g).

It’s also important to make sure you’re eating a variety of colors (purple, red, green, orange) for greater nutrient variety.

My hot tip of ensuring your hitting your daily amount of fruit and vegetables is to think of ways you can incorporate them into every meal for example:

• Incorporating fruit in your breakfast (banana or berries)
• Having carrot and cucumber sticks or a piece of fruit with your snacks
• Making your main meals vegetable rich for example stir frys, currys, rice bowls and massive side salads. 

And finally, I recommend you consume a variety of fruits and vegetables you enjoy, so that you’re more likely to eat them, and more likely to eat them daily.

Lisa Williams