How much is a portion of vegetable please?

[Jargo]

This is probably a really silly question to most, but I am trying to improve my diet by increase my vegetable intake. When I have read about the quantities it mentions "Cups" equating to one serving. I have no idea what size cup they are referring to.

Today I've had:
Half an Aubergine
Half a Courgette
Half a Red Capsicum
Handful of Mushrooms
Five big (outside) leavey bits of white cabbage
Two medium carrots
Quarter of a cucumber
Six radishes

Please could anyone help me work out whether that would be enough for the daily amount and which one of those are not full portions if there are any?

[NannyR]

I think that a portion of fruit or veg is classed as 80g.

[CountFosco]

80g for fresh fruit or veg
30g for dried

[Digestive28]

I thought a portion roughly equates to the size of your fist? I don’t know where I heard that though so could be wrong!

[SuzieCarmichael]

Are you looking at American recipes? They are the ones that use cups usually. Bonkers measurement.

[Elouera]

www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/5-a-day-portion-sizes/

[NannyR]

It sounds like you are a good variety of veg today though, regardless of the amount. One tip I've heard is to try and eat a rainbow - include red, orange, green, purple fruits and veggirs, if you are just starting to make changes I would concentrate on eating a good variety and trying out new things rather than worrying about quantities.

[IveSeenThings]

I've also read that a fist size is a portion for you. So children, a portion is the size of their fist.

[Wavescrashingonthebeach]

A cup isnt a portion. Its a measurement for recipes.
Agreed with PP on the 80/30grams. Think 1 large tablespoon counts as a portion.
The size of a fist thing rings a bell. Not sure if that was for veg or pasta. I remember in the same article it said cheese portion should be same as deck of cards.

Regardless to any of that the OP has definitely met daily veg requirements there. Meets the "eat the rainbow" recommendation too. Diff colours have diff vitamins.

[BlueLagoona]

I remember in the same article it said cheese portion should be same as deck of cards

Noooooo that’s far too big for cheese. The deck of cards is for meat - I think cheese is a matchbox?

[JoJoSM2]

When I looked into it, it was roughly the 80g of fresh and 30h dried rule. However, some pieces of fruit weigh more than that and are 1 portion (eg apple or pear).

With veg, I think it can be less for green leafy veg as 80g is a whole bag.

If you’re trying to be really good with veg, get dark greens every day and generally a wide range of colours.

[MitziK]

The information I've just been very kindly sent by the practice nurse (after the yearly stand-on-the-scale-and-be-told-what-you-already-know session) states that a portion is a handful.

[MitziK]

the other information in the leaflet says

5 portions of F&V.
3 portions of wholegrains.
Use olive, rapeseed and sunflower oils.
Eat unsalted nuts and seeds every day.
2 portions of fish a week, 1 oily.
Use onions, leeks, tomatoes and garlic in sauces, stews, casseroles and soups at least twice a week.
2 meat free days per week.
Include pulses in meals at least twice a week.
Cook most of your meals from basic ingredients.

[JoJoSM2]

I find that 5 portions of fruit and veg is that complete minimum that he NHS tries to get people with bad habits to eat. If you look at nutrition books or guidance in other countries, it works out more along the lines of 7-10.

[Jargo]

Oh wow, I really wasn't expecting so much help. Thank you!

Yes - the plan is to eat the rainbow as well. To eat less but better quality meat and fish and to be meat free for four days a week. I am only on Day 2 and it just feels like a minefield.

Fists/Handfuls are easy - I can go with them, and the NHS website linked about was super helpful too.

I sometimes have a green smoothie in the morning (very rarely) and do usually eat a portion of dark green veg as well during the day - I just didn't today due to what I was eating (and it's been a bit of a pooper of a day here for me).

Very much love and appreciate all the help and advice - thank you!

[Wavescrashingonthebeach]

Noooooo that’s far too big for cheese. The deck of cards is for meat - I think cheese is a matchbox?

Matchbox?! Bugger that haha! Im actually a vegan so dont eat 'real' cheese but when i get a decent fake one i normally eat the whole block in one day

And OP you sound like you are doing great!

Variety is key, different types of veg, different recipes and cooking methods. Seasoning is so important too. So many people "hate veg" as they have only ever had poor quality stuff that's been boiled to mush!

Think fresh juicy salads with a good sqeeze of lemon juice & drizzle of walnut oil.

Roasted asparagus.

Juicy tomatoes with a hint of salt.

I love vegetables

[IwishIhadaMargarita]

Cups were used as a measurement when cooking as people in America moved across the frontier and didn’t have proper measuring utensils. Why they stick with it I’ll never know.

[Jargo]

@Wavescrashingonthebeach are there decent fake cheeses out there? I tried a little bit of vegan cheese last night and it was pretty vom. Actually that is a huge understatement.

I am trying to be more interesting - it's due to having been diagnosed with MS. I've been reading about all the benefits a healthy, balanced diet can bring. I have even ventured onto social media and there's quite a crew of people doing similar.

I am now kicking myself that I wasn't more careful about all this before.

Also I had no idea that there was a limit to cheese or meat. Feeling like my days of eating an entire rib eye followed by slabs of cheese are over.

[Lockdownseperation]

I highly recommend the green roasting tin cookery book.

[Jargo]

@Lockdownseperation Thank you, I've put that on my Amazon wishlist.

I am liking adapting the recipes by doctors_kitchen on instagram. Trying to find some more people to follow.

[BeaUnder]

Welcome to the MS crew . I've never found that a particlar diet has helped me but I've heard good things from others. I find exercise more helpful.

Good luck.

[bananabob]

@Jargo the best fake cheeses I've tried are Violife and also Applewood smoky (I find this one melts better than violife)

[Wavescrashingonthebeach]

@Jargo

Sorry for the delay! I agree with @bananabob - but be aware some of the Violife ones taste awful straight out the pack but amazing melted!

If you have a fancy health food shop nearby you may be able to get cheeses made from nut milk that's basically treated the same as normal cheese. They're expensive, short shelf life, but much higher quality & better nutritional value. As alot of the supermarket ones are just coconut oil with flavouring.

You can experiment with making your own- if you search 'artisan vegan cheese' that will give you recipes or places to buy the better quality stuff.

[Wavescrashingonthebeach]

Something like this..oh my.. really want to try this!!!

shop.lafauxmagerie.com/collections/selection-box/products/introduction-to-veganism-selection-box