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1/2 plate of vegetables! Really?

Updated: Jun 4, 2021

Yes, that's right!

So, why is it important to half fill your plate with vegetables?


It would help you achieve the 7-10 portions* of vegetables and fruits that we need to eat everyday that would...

  • Help hydrate you properly

  • Prevent you from overeating foods that could tip the body’s energy balance, such as carbohydrates

  • Crucially provide dietary fibre that is lacking in the Western diet and that has so many incredible benefits, such as removing toxins from the body, cleaning the gut and helping our microbiome to flourish

  • Provide the vitamins and minerals, such as potassium, vitamin K, folate, copper, magnesium, selenium, zinc and phosphorous that we need to maintain, sustain and improve health

  • Provide phytochemicals and antioxidants that help the body combat free radicals, toxins, stress and poor diet

  • Help improve digestive health

  • Lower blood pressure

  • Lower risk of heart disease

  • Reduce diabetes risk

  • They are also low in calories and high in nutrition

So a portion* (80g) = a stoneless plum (a medium apple could be a 1.5 portions).

  • The ratio of vegetables and fruit should be 75% veg to 25% fruit and avoid eating too many high sugar fruits, such as grapes, oranges, watermelon, bananas, dried fruit etc.

  • All veg and fruit count, either fresh, frozen, or canned - careful of sugars and salts, (dried 30g = 1 portion).

  • Potatoes, yams and cassava don't count, because they mainly contribute starch to the diet.

  • Pulses mainly contain great levels of fibre, but fewer nutrients, so these also only count as one portion whatever the quantity.

  • Juices only count as one portion whatever the quantity, as they provide just nutrients, but NO fibre.

  • Fruit should mainly be what we snack on

I have two portions of fruit with my breakfast (apple and blueberries), three portions of veg in a lunchtime salad, or chunky veg soup, one portion of apple as an afternoon snack and three to four portions of veg with my evening meal.


See, it is easier than you think to achieve, so have a think about how you'll get yours...


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