Fruits and Veg for Spring

Eating lots of fruits and vegetables is an easy way to improve your health and prevent many diet-related diseases. Around a third of the food you eat every day should be made up of fruits and vegetables. In fact, the United Nations General Assembly has named 2021 the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables (#IYFV2021) in recognition of the important role fruits and vegetables play in human health and food security.

Eating seasonally is a great way of getting the most out of fruits and vegetables. Their flavour is at its best and their nutrient content is at its highest when just harvested and before they are stored for long periods. Fruits and vegetables are cheapest when they are in season and you don’t have to pay a premium for food imported from distant countries. Seasonal UK produce has minimal food miles and reduces the energy and CO2 emissions needed to grow and transport the food we import. You will also be supporting your local economy by buying from local farmers and producers.

The 1st of March is the official start of Spring and there are several vegetables that are in season in the UK this month:

• Purple sprouting broccoli is at the start of its season
• Cabbages and onions are in season but are available most of the year
• Cauliflower and celeriac still have a month or two left of their season
• Brussels sprouts, chicory, kale, Jerusalem artichokes, leeks and parsnips are coming to the end of their season

We rely on importing most of our fruit at this time of year, but we are in the middle of the UK rhubarb season and there are still stored apples available, particularly our famous Bramley cooking apples.

The World Health Organisation recommends that we consume at least 400g of fruits and vegetables a day (excluding potatoes and other starchy root vegetables) to prevent obesity, diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers, as well as preventing several vitamin and mineral deficiencies. 

A portion of fruits or vegetables weighs 80g and is about a handful. So that’s:

• One whole large fruit like an apple, banana, or orange
• Two smaller fruits like kiwifruit or satsumas
• Three tablespoons of peas, sweetcorn, or stewed fruit

Five 80g portions add up to the 400g a day recommended by the World Health Organisation. This is where the UK’s 5-a-day message for fruits and vegetables comes from. You can make up your 5-a-day from fresh, frozen, canned, dried, or juiced fruits and vegetables. However, nutritionists recommend you eat more vegetables than fruits and only one of your portions should come from juice, which should be unsweetened. This is because juicing fruits and vegetables removes a lot of their fibre. Starchy root vegetables like potatoes don’t count towards your 5-a-day because of their high starch content and the fact that they are usually cooked in unhealthy ways such as chips or crisps cooked in oil.

You can find some great tips on how to achieve your 5-a-day from the NHS and the British Nutrition Foundation.

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