When eating a healthy diet, we are encouraged to eat two serves of fruit and five serves of vegetables every day, but what is a serve?
The Go for 2 fruit and 5 vegetables campaign is promoted by Healthway with the message to encourage everyone to eat more fruit and vegetables, however what does 2 & 5 actually look like?
The numbers represent the total amount of serves we should be eating from these food groups every day and are taken from the Australian Dietary Guidelines. The guidelines provide directions on making food choices to maintain a healthy active lifestyle for the majority of the Australian population.
But what is a serve?
A serve is a standard portion size that was agreed upon to provide a set amount of energy, vitamins and minerals.
1 serve of fruit is equal to:
Whereas
1 serve of vegetables is equal to:
The aim is to have 2 serves of fruit and 5 serves of vegetables every day for adults. For some of us this may seem difficult at first, but here are some helpful ideas on how to eat more of these foods.
· Swap a cheese and ham sandwich for a cheese, ham and salad sandwich
· Have a piece of fruit as a morning or afternoon snack
· Aim for 2 - 3 serves of vegetables at dinner by filling half of your plate with vegetables (remember to choose a variety of different colours)
· Berries and yoghurt can make a tasty dessert.
For more information visit the Eat for Health website: www.eatforhealth.gov.au
For personalised dietary advice speak with an Accredited Practicing Dietitian or Sports Dietitian. You can find one by searching using the below websites.
Dietitians Australia https://dietitiansaustralia.org.au/
Sports Dietitians Australia https://www.sportsdietitians.com.au/
Written by Julie Hill, Accredited Practicing Dietitian
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