Nottinghamshire folk warned about five-a-day

Public health experts at Nottinghamshire County and Nottingham City Councils are reminding local residents to aim to have at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, following research into the health benefits of fruit and vegetables announced today (Tuesday 1 April).

A study carried out by University College London suggests that eating at least seven fresh fruit and vegetables a day was linked to a 42 percent lower risk of death from all causes.

Barbara Brady, consultant in public health at Nottinghamshire County and City Councils, commented: “Fruit and vegetables are excellent source of vitamins and minerals and can help to reduce risk of heart disease, stroke and some cancers.

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“This latest study supports our understanding of the health benefits of eating plenty of fruit and vegetables as a part of a healthy diet and we recommend people should try to aim for at least five portions a day.

“There are plenty of ways of increasing your daily intake of fruit and vegetables without making big changes and the Change4Life campaign includes three plans to help you get more fruit and veg into your diet.”

A few tips for increasing fruit and vegetable intake include:

• add fruit to cereal, porridge or lower fat yoghurt for breakfast

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• add some crunch to sandwiches with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber or grated carrots

• have a salad or vegetable side dish with a main meal

• swap sugary snacks such as biscuits for a piece of fruit.

For more information on healthier lifestyles visit www.nhs.uk/change4life or www.nhs.uk/livewell

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