A new JuicePlus+ survey, based on responses from 32,000 participants around the world, reveals that an astonishing 75% of people believe they don’t meet their daily recommended intake of fresh fruits and vegetables. has become clear.
Do you think you should eat 5 pills a day?
The findings of a new report reveal that 75% of people don’t believe they are.
The study, conducted by JuicePlus+, is based on data from 32,000 respondents around the world and found that only 25% of respondents believed they were reaching their daily recommended intake of fresh fruits and vegetables. It states that.
According to this study, one of the main reasons people fail to reach their goals is because they are confused about how much they should include in their daily diet and what a “portion” of fruits and vegetables is. .
The World Health Organization (WHO) provides clear and easy-to-understand guidelines to eat at least 400 grams of fruits and vegetables (5 servings of 80 grams) each day to improve your overall health.
However, in countries where portions are measured in grams, almost four-fifths (78%) of respondents got their portions wrong.
Why have our food consumption habits evolved over time?
But the report points to more than just confusion. It highlights the role of affordability as a major barrier to the consumption of healthy agricultural products.
It found that 43% of respondents experience food insecurity, and the problem is more pronounced in certain countries.
In the UK and Germany, more than half of the population faces food insecurity, at 53% and 52% respectively. France is not far behind with her at 44%, but in the US she is at 46%.
“As a gastrophysicist, what really surprised me about this report was the changing trends in fruit and vegetable consumption,” Professor Charles Spence, a gastrophysicist at the University of Oxford, told Euronews Culture.
“More than half of European consumers are turning to canned fruit and vegetables rather than fresh produce, partly because they are cheaper and partly because more people are concerned about food waste. “, he explains.
In fact, 34% of global consumers admit that a significant portion of their waste is fresh food, with the UK leading the way at 36%, followed by Germany and France.
Conversely, among those who consumed more fruits and vegetables compared to when they were younger, 27% said it was due to health concerns. This reflects a growing understanding of the benefits of incorporating more fruits and vegetables into the daily diet.
Tips to improve your eating habits
Professor Charles Spence emphasizes that one effective approach to improving your eating habits is to pay more attention to your snacking behavior.
He points out that when it comes to snacking, many of us tend to gravitate towards options such as crisps, nuts and biscuits. Because they all have the common characteristic of being loud and crunchy.
“So I apply this insight to the fruit and vegetable sector, emphasizing the importance of emphasizing natural crunch in things like carrots, apples and celery.”
“Nibbling on these crunchy fruits and vegetables can effectively promote healthier eating habits while reinforcing what attracts us when we eat.”
Additionally, Spence emphasizes that the appeal of food extends beyond taste and includes visual beauty.
advertisementResearch shows that making food more visually appealing improves people’s taste perception and encourages them to consume more.
Professor Charles Spence said: “This ties in nicely with the idea of trying to include as much color variation as possible on your plate, because the more different colors there are in fruits and vegetables, the more likely they are correlated with nutritional differences. Because we tend to do that,” he explains.
