Is ‘five a day’ enough after all?
New research suggests that eating more than five portions of fruit or veg a day isn't necessarily better for us.
A new British Medical Journal (BMJ) study has rejected conclusions made earlier this year that eating seven portions of fruit and vegetables a day is far more beneficial than eating five.
Researchers conducted a systematic review of all of the studies that examined the relationship between fruit and vegetable consumption and mortality.
A total of 16 studies were analysed, with a total of 833,234 participants. The study is available to read in full here.
So seven isn’t best?
The report found that the so-called 'hazard ratio' of mortality dropped significantly between people who ate one portion of fruit and veg a day, and those who ate five. But beyond that, for those eating more, it seemed that the hazard ratio stayed the same.
That’s not to say there aren’t benefits to eating extra portions. After all, this study is about mortality rates, not the improved health an individual could experience from regularly consuming more portions. An investigation into the actual health of the participants who ate more than five portions a day was beyond the scope of the review.
Just eat lots of fruit and veg
The message to take away, say the researchers, is that “a higher consumption of fruit and vegetables is associated with a lower risk of all cause mortality, particularly cardiovascular mortality.”
It’s also worth noting that the findings of the ‘seven a day’ study did indicate the importance of eating a supply of fresh food, rather than canned or frozen items.
If you want to increase your intake of fruit and vegetables, try a few of our top 10 ‘five a day’ recipes – these are packed with tasty veggies, and there are even some delicious and healthy desserts you could try out.
Do you set store by this study? Do you have any recipe suggestions that will help people eat more fruit and veg? Let us know in the Comments below.
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