Wondering how many portions of fruit and veg we should eat a day? And how big the portion sizes are? We can help with that.
Government guidelines suggest we eat at least five, and up to 10 portions of fruits and vegetables per day.1 However, it can be difficult to know how to achieve this, and what a portion actually looks like.
One portion of fruit or vegetables is 80g.2
The table in this article shows how much of the food you’d have to eat to get one portion.
Some of them might surprise you, for example, you’d have to eat 20 raspberries to get your one portion, but only 1 slice of pineapple.3
In this article, you’ll find out:
Fruit and vegetables are packed full of nutrients that help to keep our bodies healthy. In particular, vegetables are a great source of fibre that contribute to a healthy gut and prevent constipation.
In addition to this, lots of vegetables are a great source of vitamin C, folate and potassium.4
Similarly, our bodies need fruit for the same reason.
They are a great source of fiber and vitamin C – eating fruit is a great way to naturally assist your immune system.5
Alongside this, fruits and vegetables provide the body with antioxidants which help to protect cells from oxidative stress caused by free radicals.6
So how many portions of fruit and veg should we aim for each day?
The NHS recommends that everyone should have at least five portions of fruit and vegetables everyday.4
And in order to get the maximum benefits, you should aim to eat different types of fruit and vegetables too.4
The term gets thrown about a lot, but what is 5 a day?
Back in 2003, the government launched a 5-a-day campaign to help encourage the nation to get more fruit and veg into our diets.7
Since then, it has been a general aim for the public in order to help us lead healthy lives.
To help you get to grips with eating the right portion sizes of fruit and veg, we’ve compiled a handy chart full of adult and children fruit and vegetable portion sizes.
Fruit | Adult portion size (80g) | Child portion size |
---|---|---|
Blueberries | 4 heaped tbsp | 2 heaped tbsp |
Apple | 1 medium apple | 1/2 medium apple |
Banana | 1 medium banana | 1/2 medium banana |
Avocado | 1/2 standard avocado | 1/4 standard avocado |
Fresh cherries | 14 cherries | 7 cherries |
Grapes | 14 grapes | 7 grapes |
Raspberries | 20 raspberries | 10 raspberries |
Tomato puree | 1 heaped tbsp | 1 tsp |
Strawberries | 7 strawberries | 4 strawberries |
Pineapple | 1 large slice | 1/2 large slice |
Blackberries | 9-10 blackberries | 5 blackberries |
Fresh apricots | 3 apricots | 1 apricot |
Fresh figs | 2 figs | 1 fig |
Fruit juice (100% unsweetened) | 150ml glass | 150ml glass |
Fresh/canned fruit salad | 3 heaped tbsp | 2 tbsp |
Kiwi fruit | 2 kiwis | 1 kiwi |
Lychees | 6 lychees | 3 lychees |
Fresh mango | 2 slices | 1 slice |
Fruit | Adult portion size (80g) | Child portion size |
---|---|---|
Broccoli | 8 florets | 4 florets |
Leeks | 1 medium leek (white portion) | 1/2 medium leek |
Mushrooms | 8 mushrooms | 4 mushrooms |
Pepper | 1/2 pepper | 1/4 pepper |
Fresh spinach | 1 cereal bowl full | 1/2 cereal bowl full |
Cooked spinach | 4 heaped tbsp | 2 heaped tbsp |
Cucumber | 2 inch piece | 1 inch piece |
Onion | 1 medium onion | 1/2 medium onion |
Celery | 1 stick | 1/2 stick |
Peas | 3 heaped tbsp | 1 1/2 tbsp |
Sweet potato | 1 medium sweet potato | 1/2 medium sweet potato |
Radishes | 10 radishes | 5 radishes |
Carrots | 1 carrot | 1/2 carrot |
Beetroot | 3baby whole/7 slices | 1 baby whole/3 slices |
Cauliflower | 8 florets | 4 florets |
Asparagus | 5 spears | 2 spears |
Beans (any) | 3 heaped tbsp | 2 tbsp |
Kale (cooked) | 4 heaped tbsp | 3 tbsp |
If you’re struggling to get your 5 fruit and veg portions, consider making a green smoothie with different fruits and leafy greens. Here are some healthy recipe ideas to get you started:
While there isn’t a huge amount of difference between homemade and shop bought smoothies, the key benefit to making your own is that you can control exactly what goes into them.
You decide whether you want to add any extra ingredients or sweetener.
Try not to rely on fruit juices or smoothies, however, as these can get very sugary. Also, try not to overcook your vegetables as this reduces the nutrient content.
If you’re not getting enough fruit and veg portions, you may experience some of these side effects:
Having digested all of the above, you might be wondering whether you can eat too much fruit and vegetables?
According to government advice in the Eat Well guide10, fruit and veg should make up 40% of the food we consume daily, so it’s recommended to stick to this suggestion.
However, the key is to always remain balanced and try not to eat too much of one specific type of fruit and veg, and aim to change it up each time instead.
Handpicked content: Getting your essential vitamins and nutrients through diet
Last updated: 15 July 2021
Joined Holland & Barrett: Apr 2019
Masters Degree in Toxicology and BSc Hons in Medical Biochemistry
Bhupesh started his career as a Clinical Toxicologist for Public Health England, advising healthcare professionals all around the country on how to manage clinical cases of adverse exposure to supplements, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, industrial chemicals and agricultural products.
After 7 years in this role and a further year working as a drug safety officer in the pharmaceutical industry, Bhupesh joined Holland & Barrett as a Senior Regulatory Affairs Associate in 2019.