Ministers were last night urged to do more to educate households about nutrition as it emerged that 16 per cent were buying less, including almost 25 per cent of lower-income families.
Mintel said that just 24 per cent of the nation were now eating five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, the Department of Health target.
The market research specialist added that even sales of Heinz baked beans - which count towards the five-a-day target - had fallen in the past year. Mintel said that under 35s were the least likely age group to buy the famous tinned beans as students increasingly switch to alternatives such as pasta and noodles.
Prices of fruit and vegetables have surged by as much as 10 per cent in the past year, for everything from apples to potatoes, following poor harvests in 2012.
The findings will raise yet more fears about the nation's health, given growing obesity levels. Mintel said 38 per cent of adults admit they "struggle" to eat their five-a-day of fruit and vegetables. And only 40 per cent see fresh fruit as good value for money.
More on this story here.
Eddie
5 comments:
Still, people yet to find a correlation between fruits and vegetables consumption and health.
Remember, Barry Groves had several blog posts about it http://www.second-opinions.co.uk/ajcn_nov_2002.html#.UneXXvnrxs4?
"This was the first of several studies which looked into the claim that "5 portions of fruit and veg a day" reduced the risk of coronary heart disease and cancer. None of these studies found any evidence to support or substantiate those claims. Despite this, people five years later are still dictated to and told that they must eat at least five portions of fruit and veg. There are even moves afoot to increase the amounts in the vain, and again unsupported, hope that if people eat enough fruit and veg, there will eventually be a benefit. They are living in cloud cuckoo land."
Here is Peter's Hyperlipid take on the WHEL study, when researches failed to find connection between breast cancer and the diet high in fruit and veggies.
http://high-fat-nutrition.blogspot.com/search/label/Fruit%20and%20vegetables%20%286%29%20WHEL%20study
"CONCLUSION: Among survivors of early stage breast cancer, adoption of a diet that was very high in vegetables, fruit, and fiber and low in fat did not reduce additional breast cancer events or mortality during a 7.3-year follow-up period."
I found out that eating less often , adding fat into vegetable dishes, and eliminating snacking, leaves more money in my budget to buy more expensive items like quality meat,eggs, vegetables and butter.
It is funny somebody could be concerned about falling canned beans consumption (may be more beans consumers started to cook it more from the scratch), and it is even more funny that beans are considered to be vegetables. People often spend ridiculous amount of money on snacking, then complain that food is too expensive.
Hi Galina
I base my meals on lots of non starchy vegetables, my grandchildren and some our kids eat the same way. We call it the colours of the rainbow. Adding good quality meat, fish and eggs etc. We have know fear of the good fats.
The thing that worries me is the people that do not eat a good mix and quantity of vegetables could be missing vital nutrients also what do be people eat instead of fruit and veg. Carbs most of the time and highly processed foods.
Having said that I am not saying fruit and veg is a cure all food.
Eddie
It is not easy with all food getting more expensive. I look for bargains and most weeks do find them. A tip I read was never look at eye level on supermarket shelves look at the bottom ones. Val
I just wish the vegetable eating was not presented upside-down, and the issue was standing on legs, not on the head.
First of all, there is no need to eat at least 5 servings of vegetables and fruits a day to stay healthy, rather it is better to choose cooked and raw veggies over rice/pasta/mashed potatoes as a side dish, and the healthiness of fruits is way exaggerated. We all eat for social and other reasons than being hungry at least from time to time, so it is better to choose veggies for such eating.
During my life I went through lean and plenty periods several times, and my heart goes to the people who have to make difficult budget choices, who have to spent their money wise. Probably, it is better to honestly tell people with a limited food budget that they may just drop all fruits together with sweets from their expenses. Many people feel overwhelmed by the perspective to consume so much produce, many mothers feel guilty from not being able to staff their child with the recommended amount of veggies.It would be kind to let such people know that they would be better off skipping sweets, cookies and starches,and eliminating all snacking, then trying to eat all colors of the rainbow. Priorities matter too.
In short, it is better to eat non-starchy vegetables instead of starchy sides,to enhance the gourmet value of your food with vegetables and spices than artificial flavorings and coloring and to eat berries instead of cakes. However, it is secondary to the avoidance of sweets and refined carbohydrates.
Perhaps the key words to better health are 'eat real food for your health'
Of course with ever increasing prices families do have to look at their weekly budgets. It must be better to cut out the snacks, sweets, crisps etc and eat more whole foods.
Of course children come under heavy influences from their peers and advertising and many parents do 'cave in' when shopping - you very often see cakes, biscuits, crisps etc in the weekly shopping basket. I am not saying cut them out completely, when I was growing up sweets were a treat not an every day item.
As ever it must come down to the individuals choice but as the title of this blog is 'the low carb diabetic' there will be no surprise to know that my choice is LCHF.
Thanks once again to all who have read this particular item and then to those who have commented. It is always good to receive ideas, views and links to other related items.
All the best Jan
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