4 simple ways to increase your intake of fruit and vegetables

Are you getting your five and two?

If you’re starting your day without fruit or vegetables, you’re already on the back foot. Image: Getty

Five servings of vegetables and two servings of fruit have been the daily recommended amount for a long time. But even though many of us know what we should be eating, it doesn’t make it any easier to achieve. Carla Oates, founder of The Beauty Chef, shares her tips for upping your daily serves.

According to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data on the diets of Australians, only 6.1 per cent of adults are eating the recommended amount of both fruit and vegetables. It’s a stat that can’t even be blamed on the ‘lockdown years’ as the data prior to Covid wasn’t much better. 

When it comes to healthy eating, there can be many barriers to overcome. Whether you’re time-poor, constantly travelling, or finding the cost of fresh produce limiting, it’s not hard to see why reaching the daily fruit and vegetable goal is so often unachieved. 

But if you’re eager to try, here are some benefits to look forward to and methods that can help you slip them in more often. 

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How important is it to get enough fruit and vegetables every day? 

Consuming a well-balanced diet can have numerous benefits for your health. Studies have shown that a diet rich in fruit and vegetables can reduce the risk of death from cardiovascular disease, help lower blood pressure, and assist in maintaining weight. 

And if that wasn’t reason enough to aim for your five and two-a-day, a lot of fruit and vegetables provide a rich source of antioxidants, which can help to protect skin from ageing free radicals—not to mention a decent dose of fibre to help keep you regular. 

What’s actually in a serve? 

According to the Australian Dietary Guidelines (the same guidelines that stipulate the daily recommended amounts), a serving of vegetables equates to about 75g, while a serving of fruit is about 150g.  

When it comes to healthy eating, there can be many barriers to overcome. Image: Getty

Examples of a serving of vegetables include: 

– ½ cup of cooked broccoli, spinach, carrots or pumpkin 

– 1 cup green leafy or raw salad vegetables 

– 1/2 a medium potato or sweet potato  

Beans, lentils and peas also count, whether they’re cooked, canned or dried, with ½ cup providing a serving. As for fruit, examples of a serving include: 

– 1 medium apple, banana, orange or pear 

– 2 small apricots, kiwi fruits or plums 

– 1 cup diced or canned fruit (no added sugar) 

4 tips to up your daily intake  

Now that you know how much a serve is, you’re probably thinking you’re well within the six per cent that deserves a pat on the back. But remember, the recommendation is for every day (not just the good ones!)—and that can take a real effort. It’s all about setting daily habits for consistent (and subconscious) success. 

Tick off a couple of serves at breakfast. Image: Getty

1. Tick them off at breakfast 

If you’re starting your day without fruit or vegetables, you’re already on the back foot. Toast and cereal may be classic and convenient, but adding berries to your porridge or topping your sourdough with some avocado and tomato can go a long way. Better yet, blitz together a green smoothie with pear, avocado, spinach and The Beauty Chef's Cleanse Inner Beauty Support and you’ll be well on your way to supporting your daily greens intake—all before 9am! 

2. Sort your snacks 

Who says you have to limit your fruit and veggie intake to breakfast, lunch and dinner? Snacks are a great way to get them in. It can be something as simple as carrying an apple in your handbag, or preparing some carrot and celery sticks, ready to be dipped in hummus whenever hunger strikes. 

3. Make your veggies last longer

If you’re tired of filling your fridge with fresh vegetables, only to have them go off (and into the bin) by the end of the week, consider fermented versions. Some fermented vegetables, such as kimchi and sauerkraut, can last up to months in the fridge and provide a rich source of vitamins, minerals, digestive enzymes and probiotics. 

4. Sneaky meal swaps 

Love a spaghetti bolognese? Or a flavoursome Thai curry? Swap your pasta for zoodles (zucchini spiral noodles) and your rice for grated cauliflower for an extra serving of vegetables. Or if you need to be sneakier for the kids, wilting spinach or adding shredded carrot to pasta sauces can often make it past those picky detectives. 

Carla Oates is the Sydney-based founder, CEO and creative director of The Beauty Chef, the world's first inner beauty brand. Carla works with a leading team of microbiologists, naturopaths and nutritionists creating bio-fermented, probiotic-rich wholefood supplements and topical skincare products. You can find out more here, or follow Carla on Instagram here. 

Originally published as 4 simple ways to increase your intake of fruit and vegetables