The Five Plus facts

What's a serving?

It's about a handful and you should use your own hand. So, a child's serving will be smaller than an adult's. When dishing up leafy greens, use slightly more, or in the case of diced fruit, slightly less. A serving of legumes, such as beans, will also count as a serving of vegetables.

Why does it matter?

According to a Ministry of Health report, Looking Upstream, a lifetime of not eating enough fruit and vegetables contributed to the same number of deaths in 1997 as alcohol, drugs and acts of violence combined.

Cancer Society research concludes that if we all ate just half a serving more a day of fruit and veg, 330 lives a year would be saved. The trouble is the Society also found that most of those not eating enough wrongly believe they are.

Strong evidence supports the link between cancer and a diet lacking in fruit and vegetables, as well as heart disease, atherosclerosis and stroke, while an increased intake of fruit and vegetables can play a role in preventing birth defects, cataract formation, hypertension, asthma, diverticulosis, obesity and diabetes.

Are some better than others?

In the past much of the goodness has been put down to fibre, vitamins and minerals. Although these are important, it's also the phytochemicals (plant chemicals) that help keep you healthy.

Different phytochemicals give fruit and vegetables their individual colours. So, remember to eat a variety of colours, for example:

• Green - broccoli, celery, green pears.
• Red - red peppers, tomatoes, watermelon.
• Yellow/orange - carrots, pumpkin, apricots.
• 
  Blue/purple - beetroot, eggplant, plums.
• Brown/white - onions, potatoes, white peaches.

Does cooking destroy goodness?

Overcooking may destroy vitamins and minerals, so try microwaving, steaming or stir-frying in just a little polyunsaturated or monounsaturated oil, like olive or canola.

However, cooking weakens the cell walls of some vegetables, enabling the body to use more of the nutrients that remain after cooking. For example, studies have found that cooking triples the bioavailability of various antioxidants in yellow, orange and dark green vegetables. It may also boost the availability of folate in spinach.

Do hot chips count as a serving?

No. While potatoes are a good source of vitamin C, minerals and fibre, hot chips fried in fat and smothered in salt are not a good choice for regular eating. However, baked, boiled, steamed or microwaved potatoes do count.

What about pesticides?

The risk from pesticides is small and outweighed by the health benefits. Pesticides in our food are monitored by the New Zealand Total Diet Survey. Results confirm New Zealand's food supply, including fruit and vegetables, has one of the lowest pesticide residues in the world. You can reduce the risk by washing to remove most of the pesticides and the micro-organisms that cause food poisoning.