Five-a-day was never meant as an ideal, and research now shows ten portions of fruit and vegetables daily give the best health outcomes. Practical adjustments can help make higher intakes achievable.
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has sparked debate by labeling the well-known five-a-day guideline “a lie.” In an interview with the Times, he argued that the real health advantages of fruits and vegetables only become significant at seven, eight, or even 11 portions daily.
He is correct that higher intake leads to greater benefits. Studies consistently show that the more servings of fruit and vegetables people consume each day, the more their overall health improves.
However, the choice of five portions as the standard recommendation was never about representing the optimal amount but rather a balance between scientific evidence and what public health experts believed was practical for most people.
When the five-a-day initiative was introduced in the UK and Ireland more than two decades ago, it was never intended as the “ideal” goal.
Rather, it was a compromise, chosen to balance scientific evidence with what public health experts believed people could reasonably achieve. Researchers and campaigners agreed that five portions offered a simple, memorable, and approachable target that would not discourage the public.
