Different types of fruit and vegetables

Fruit and vegetables don't have to be fresh to count as a portion. Nor do they have to be eaten on their own: they also count if they're part of a meal or dish.

These all also count towards your 5 A Day:

• Frozen fruit and vegetables
• Tinned or canned fruit and vegetables. Buy ones tinned in natural juice or water, with no added sugar or salt.
• Fruit and vegetables cooked in dishes such as soups, stews or pasta.
• A 30g portion of dried fruit, such as currants, dates, sultanas and figs, counts as 1 of your 5 A Day, but should be eaten at mealtimes, not as a between-meal snack, to reduce the impact on teeth.
• Fruit and vegetables in convenience foods, such as ready meals and shop-bought pasta sauces, soups and puddings.

Some ready-made foods are high in salt, sugar and fat, so only have them occasionally or in small amounts.

You can find the salt, sugar and fat content of ready-made foods on the label.

Simple Tips for Losing Weight

If you want to lose weight, there are easy things you can do, like changing what you eat and drink, and getting support.

If you're too heavy, losing weight can give you more energy and lower the chances of getting very overweight, heart problems, and type 2 diabetes.

Useful Information: Check if you're a good weight A special number called BMI helps know if your weight is good for how tall you are.

You need to know how tall and heavy you are to figure out your BMI.

Use the BMI healthy weight calculator.

Things to Do to Lose Weight: You don't have to do everything together, try one thing at a time to see what helps you.

Do:

• Be active for 150 minutes every week – you can split this into shorter times.
• Try to have 5 portions of fruits and vegetables a day – 80g of fresh, canned, or frozen ones count as 1 portion.
• Aim to lose 1 to 2 pounds, or 0.5 to 1 kilogram, each week.
• Look at food labels – things with more green labels are usually better for you than ones with amber or red labels.
• Switch sugary drinks for water – if you don't like water's taste, you can add lemon or lime slices for flavor.
• Eat less food with lots of sugar and fat – start by trading sugary cereal for wholegrain options.
• Share your weight loss plan with someone you trust – they can help you stay motivated, even when you're having a tough day.

Don't:

• Don't quickly lose weight with diets.
• Don't keep unhealthy food around – popcorn, fruit, and rice cakes can be better choices.
• Don't skip meals – you might end up snacking more if you feel hungry.
• Don't finish your plate if you're full – you can save extra food for the next day.