Foods/Sources

The foods in this group form the second largest group of the plate and it includes all fruits and vegetables including, fresh, frozen, dried, juiced and canned (in natural juice).

Importance

Fruit and vegetables provide many important nutrients and dietary fibre needed during pregnancy and breastfeeding. The most important vitamins provided by fruit and vegetables are vitamin C, beta-carotene and some of the B group vitamins, i.e. thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine and folic acid.

Fruits and vegetables contain vital antioxidants that help protect your body from damage. There is increasing evidence that eating five portions of different fruits and vegetables may protect the body from diseases such as heart disease and some forms of cancer.

Servings

Most people know we should be eating 5 portions of fruits and vegetables daily but many still aren't. One portion of fruit and veg equates to 80g or:

• 1 apple, banana, pear, orange or similar size fruit
• 2 plums, satsumas or similar sized fruit
• ½ grapefruit
• 1 slice of large fruit such as melon or pineapple
• 3 heaped tablespoons of vegetables (raw, cooked, frozen or tinned)
• 1 150ml glass of fruit juice (counts as a maximum of 1 portion per day).

Tips

Try to reduce vitamin losses by using appropriate storing and cooking techniques e.g. do not store fresh fruit and vegetables for a long time – storage reduces the vitamin content. Try to eat some raw vegetables each day, for example carrot sticks, as they contain more nutrients than cooked vegetables. Take a look at our section on tips to help achieve your 5 a day.