Your 5 a day. 3 reasons why people (including me) struggle to get enough

For several years we have been bombarded with the message that in order to maintain good health and obtain adequate quantities of vitamins, minerals and fibre, we should be consuming a minimum of 5 portions of fruit and vegetables per day.  Statistics have shown it's a very small minority of people who actually achieve this. It's all very well instructing people to do something but without finding out the barriers people have towards doing something and how they can be overcome, no progress can be made.

So what are people's barriers to consuming more fresh vegetables and fruits? Firstly........

Taste preferences!

Many people dislike fruit and/or vegetables in general or have particular ones they can't stand. Sometimes it can be unwillingness to be adventurous and try new things or traumatic memories of being forced to eat certain vegetables as a child (I still can't eat peas without gagging!)

As a child I was an absolute fuss-pot (what my mum used to call me, I was a real nightmare when it came to food!) I refused practically all fruit and vegetables and my mum had to find the most sneaky ways of getting them into my diet.  I had a real sweet tooth, was mad about cake and used to eat sugar sandwiches! By the time I was 16 I was still probably only eating about 1-2 portions of fruit and veg per week.  When I became vegetarian at 20 I realised it was probably time for me to start eating some vegetables!

Whilst this kind of fussiness should not be accepted, there are people who have genuine food phobias.  There is even an eating disorder called 'Selective Eating Disorder' in which people can experience high levels of anxiety at the prospect of trying certain new foods.  This is also common in those on the autistic spectrum.  This brief article explains the difference between picky eating and the disorder and talks about potential treatment: http://www.the-heath.co.uk/treatment/selective-eating-disorder-sed.php

Time, Convenience & Expense

yep, can relate!

Nowadays, rents and mortgages are sky-high and many people are having to work very long hours and sometimes have to do several jobs just to scrape by.  Consequently washing, chopping and peeling fresh vegetables isn't something people can always easily fit into their schedule, it's not just pure laziness in most cases.  As I mentioned in my blog: http://samanthathesanevegan.blogspot.co.uk
/2016/05/more-guilty-nutritional-therapy.html, I currently live with 3 other adults who eat a different diet to me and so we have to share the (quite small) kitchen and storage space.  Many people are living in overcrowded conditions and can't always get to the kitchen to cook and prepare food when they want to.

It's possible to buy ready chopped fruit and vegetables which can be a real time saver and if it allows people to get more fruit and vegetables into their diet, great.  The trouble is: a) this can often work out as expensive and b) nutrients are lost as soon as the vegetables are chopped and so the vitamin content can be lower if the items have been on the supermarket shelf for a while.  Fruit and vegetables are not always expensive and in these blogs I've talked about how you can shop on a low budget, even when buying organic: http://samanthathesanevegan.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/what-is-organic-food-10-tips-for-saving.html and http://samanthathesanevegan.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/my-3-per-day-challenge-how-i-managed-to_10.html. However, it's true that per gram, high carbohydrate foods such as potatoes and pasta are far cheaper and given that they're also filling, people living in poverty can rely on these as the bulk of their diet rather than fresh fruit and vegetables.

Unreliability of quality

naughty carrots!

Fruit and vegetables that are grown in nature are a God-send and I find their unpredictability and variation in taste, shape and texture beautiful and exciting. There are, however, sometimes times when this is a disadvantage. I love eating crisp, juicy apples but sometimes I'll bite into one and it'll be horrible and gritty or mushy and I wince. Ugh.

I love pomegranates but they can be a bit hit and miss also.  Sometimes I'll have a lovely juicy one, other times I'll get one that either tastes of nothing or is really bitter.  When I buy pineapples sometimes it seems like they take about 5 years to ripen and when it is ripe you don't know what you're gonna get. You get the picture!

Chocolate bars, packets of crisps or sweets, on the other hand, taste pretty much exactly the same each time you buy them.  When you are stressed or depressed and seeking a source of comfort, you are likely to reach out for something that's not going to disappoint. I've been totally guilty of this myself!

Regardless of all these potential barriers to eating more fruit and veg, we can't escape the fact that we need their vitamins, minerals and antioxidants for good health so it's not something that can be ignored.

So what are some ways to overcome these issues?

• Ready made smoothies, soups and ready prepared meals with vegetables? Although any effort to introduce more fruit and vegetables into the diet is a move in the right direction, nutrients are lost in the production process so it's not ideal.
• Home-made smoothies & juicing.  I personally don't have a juicer yet but I have a smoothie maker.  If you have the time, money and space it can be a great way of getting a wider range of fruit and vegetables into your diet. I don't really like bananas on their own but I'll have them blended into a smoothie. I'll even have celery (which I despise!) if it's mixed with enough other vegetables in a juice!  As I've mentioned, doing this every day is not always realistic or convenient.  But what is?...........
• Juice Plus!!!!!!! They produce capsules, shakes and other products based on concentrated natural fruit and vegetable extracts in such a way that all the vital nutrients are preserved and delivered to the body in a form that the body can recognise.  It's also perfectly affordable for many people with plans starting from £20.50 per month, which is about 68p per day. View the short video above (or talk to me!) for more information about the products!

Taking Juice Plus shakes and/or capsules doesn't mean that you can eat McDonalds, KFC and doughnuts all day and still be healthy.  It's not an either/or situation. I still eat as much fresh fruit and vegetables as possible and put a lot of effort and consideration into my diet but it's great to know that I can conveniently get a bit of a top up when I'm pressed for time or a bit run down.  Modern life is challenging and demanding and we can all do with a helping hand sometimes!  Why not give it a try!