Strengthen your immune system with fruit and veg
Mood:  hungry
Topic: Fruit and Vegetables
Take Five

Feel good by strengthening your immune system with plenty of health-boosting fruit and vegetables.

Eating at least five portions of different fruit and vegetables every day helps protect against heart disease and cancer. Full of vitamins and minerals, they also help to maintain energy levels and a healthy weight.


Size matters
Your daily quota is five 80g-portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables. One banana, a medium-size apple, two clementines, or three heaped tablespoons of cooked carrots would each equal one portion. Frozen, canned and dried fruit and veg also count.

At breakfast chop an apple into your cereal or have a banana sandwich. Drink a 150ml glass of smoothie or fruit juice - this only counts as one portion, however much you have.

Eat lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber with your lunchtime sandwich or take a salad or fruit salad to work.

In the evening have at least two types of veg with your chosen portion of protein.


Eat by colour
Choose different coloured fruit and veg so you get a wide range of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients (beneficial plant compounds) and antioxidants, which fight free radicals - they are the bad guys that accelerate the ageing process. Eat across the colour spectrum - blueberries and red cabbage, avocados, apples, broccoli and lettuce. Or brighten up meals with oranges, carrots, cranberries, red peppers and tomatoes.


Banana and Mango Smoothie
Smoothies are simple to make and this recipe also has bone-strengthening calcium in the milk. Peel and slice 1 small mango, 1 banana and whizz in a blender with 300ml cold Asda Semi Skimmed or Skimmed Milk until smooth. Makes 2 servings.


Fresh start
Drinking a chilled smoothie in the morning is an easy way of getting one of your five portions. Innocent smoothies contain 100 per cent fresh crushed fruits.
Innocent Pure Fruit Smoothie, #2.98 (1 litre; 29.8p/100ml; chiller)