Five Ways To Get More Fruit And Veg - World Cancer Research Fund

Main Category: Nutrition / Diet
Also Included In: Cancer / Oncology
Article Date: 21 Aug 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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A recent report from the Fresh Produce Consortium has suggested that just 12 per cent of us are having at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.

As well as all the other health benefits, eating plenty of fruit and vegetables probably reduces risk of cancer. This is why World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) recommends people eat at least five portions a day of a variety of fruit and vegetables.

Silvia Pastorino, a nutritionist for WCRF, has come up with her top five tips for getting more fruit and vegetables into your diet.

1. Add fruit to your breakfast cereal to make it tastier. You could use dried fruit or frozen berries, or slice a banana or an apple. Try to buy seasonal fruits when you can as they are tastier and cheaper.

2. Opt for a fruit salad as a snack or dessert. As well as tasting great, it is an easy way to add to your daily fruit consumption.

3. Have baked beans on wholemeal toast for lunch. Many people do not know that baked beans count towards your five portions a day but they can. But bear in mind that baked beans can only count as one of your five a day, no matter how much you eat.

4. Pack your pasta sauce, bake, stir fry and sandwiches with a variety of colourful vegetables. They contain lots of water and fibre, so you will feel full for longer without the added calories. Frozen vegetables, like peas and broad beans, count too and they are always there when you need them.

5. Instead of having crisps, try chopping raw vegetables dipped in low fat houmous or salsa as this makes a tasty snack that can count towards your 5 A DAY.

For more information about how having a healthy diet can help reduce your risk of cancer, visit http://www.wcrf-uk.org/diet

About WCRF

World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) raises awareness that cancer is largely preventable and helps people make choices to reduce their chances of developing the disease.

This includes research into how cancer risk is related to diet, physical activity, and weight management, and education programmes that highlight the fact that about a third of cancers could be prevented through changes to lifestyle. For more information on the charity's work, visit http://www.wcrf-uk.org

The WCRF report, called Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer: a Global Perspective, was launched in November 2007 and is the most comprehensive report ever published on the link between cancer and lifestyle. http://www.dietandcancerreport.org

World Cancer Research Fund