The five a day challenge

We hear a lot about how blood clots can cause strokes and heart attacks, but another disease of the arteries can be just as dangerous.

Artherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, is caused by a gradual build up of fatty deposits into plaques, on artery walls. As well as gradually constricting the blood flow through the artery, artherosclerosis is also dangerous because a plaque can rupture creating a potentially lethal blood clot.

High levels of bad cholesterol are primarily responsible for the build up of plaques on artery walls, however research is now indicating that eating five portions of fruit and vegetables per day can reduce artherosclerosis, by up to a third, which is great news.

The research was undertaken on rats, but don’t worry about that - eating five such portions must be good for you anyway.

The hard part is to eat five portions of fruit and veg each day, which is something I’ve been trying to do for a few months now.

Go to almost any supermarket in the UK and you will be met with a bewildering display of fruit and vegetables including many imported “out of season” and exotic varieties.

Some supermarkets helpfully label their fruit with “five a day” type labels so you take the hint and fill your trolley with a whole range of tempting fresh produce and enjoy a virtuous moment when your trolley load looks far more healthy at the checkout than the customer’s in front.

Now to the eating part.

You have a glass of orange juice for breakfast and an apple for lunch - thats two portions. Three to go.

Dinner, and you’ve got to have three portions of fruit and/or veg so that is carrots plus peas, say, with the main course. You can then hit your target by having something like strawberries for desert.

Actually, as I write that I think “hey that sounds delicious”, which, of course it is.

However the next day you’ve got to have five portions of fruit and veg. Then the day after that and guess what? Every day - for ever.

Yes five portions of fruit and veg a day is only a guide, but its an excellent way of building a varied and healthy diet. It’s probably quite expensive and time consuming (shopping and preparing), though remember that frozen vegetables are often more nutritious than “fresh” produce which has been stored in a warehouse for a week.

However if you value your health and want to reduce your risk of artherosclerosis, as well as developing a more healthy diet, then give it a go - take on the 5 a day challenge!

Add comment June 19th, 2006 Written By: chris