It's all about proportion isn't it? And variety and colours. I used to know an NZ woman who made sure every main meal had one green, one yellow and one red veg in it.
Funnily enough, it seems as we get older we need more protein to maintain our muscle mass but still as the smaller part of a meal, not the main event.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
I've seen some of those progs too Philippa. Confirmed why cook my own. I buy tinned beans, lentils, toms and some chutneys but make my own cakes, biscuits, pizzas, lasagnas, curries etc.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
I almost always take more than five portions without even thinking about it. I'm fond of my food and love fruit and veg. At breakfast I have a glass of orange juice. (I don't think marmalade counts!). Then at lunch I often have vegetable soup of some sort, or if I have something like an omelette, I'll have some tomatoes or peppers in or with it, and probably a banana or and orange. I might have an odd piece of fruit as a snack at some time. Then for dinner I'll usually have a main dish that includes some veg, and probably a side dish of another veg. Pudding may sometimes entail more fruit in a crumble or with yoghurt. No problem getting up to five portions, especially when there's always a glut of something in the garden.
I have to be careful as I prefer not to eat. I lost my sense of taste, so there isn't much joy to be had for me eating or drinking. Having said that my partner enjoys food muchly. So I do cook and we bypass ready meals for home cooking. We can't get enough fresh vegetables, and price is really prohibitive. We are really worried about Brexit pushing food prices up further. And fresh food scarcity. Certainly a good time to start growing. We've had food out once in the last two years, due to expense. We do try and eat as well as we can, pulses, nuts, carrots, onions, rice, spuds are the staples, and home made bread. The latter doesn't afford much nutrition, just energy/sugar. We buy frozen fruit and eat apples. On the other hand my uncle is wealthy, but survives on muesli, bought soup, bread and carcinogenic sliced meats! Housing costs and coffee are our priorities.
This is really interesting,pansyface, now THAT is my kind of diet. It was the ammount you have to eat as one serving that got me, I think a portion of lettuce is a washing up bowl full!. I dont know about pundits, often its medics, I always used to have pure veg margarine, then (admittedly years ago now) one of my sons showed me th list of ingredients, so I swapped to butter, I dont have much.Course, it is also said that most of your 5 should be veg, because the natural sugar in fruit causes insulin spikes. Tomatoes in mac cheese!!no, I wouldnt have salad with it, hot and cold food mixed on a plate that would be weird!My "normal" portion sizes are smaller than my 7 year old grandson, who is not overweight I might add, always hungry, doesnt like chocolate or many sweets, snacks on fruit usually apples and grapes. I do make my own pasta sauce, have always had incredible ammount of tomatoes. Made a crumble yesterday with my blackcurrants, from the freezer. Am glad an apple at least now counts as 2 portions, I do buy big apples (when I need to)I do now eat fish and chicken, the other day Hubby and I had a takeaway fih=sh n chips, (small cod,small chips) share as we always do, and couldnt eat all the chips. Wish I had seem that programme.No-on actually knows where this fruit and veg portion thing came from, certainly not from anyone medically trained.
Wayside, how did you loose your sense of taste (if you dont mind me asking) Normally its the sense of smell that stops folk wanting to eat, you are NO allowed to mention that "B" word on my posts!!!
Tried to look it up, found an article by a Dr Dagfinn Aune, Imperial College London, says we should eat 10, and yes you are correct one portion is 80g, so this is what she says we should be eating per day,1, apple,banana,pear, half grapefruit,glass of orange juice, 2 kiwi fruit, 3 tablespoons peas (yup there it is!!!) 8 caul florettes and 2 broccoli heads.
Wayside, how did you loose your sense of taste (if you dont mind me asking) Normally its the sense of smell that stops folk wanting to eat, you are NO allowed to mention that "B" word on my posts!!!
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Funnily enough, it seems as we get older we need more protein to maintain our muscle mass but still as the smaller part of a meal, not the main event.
Vegetables are the new dessert - I celebrate when they are served
Do oats count?