Five a day myth busted

Frank the tank
Frank the tank Posts: 6,553
edited April 2010 in The bottom bracket
According to latest research. The effect of eating five fruit and veg a day doesn't reduce the risk of cancer by anything like the amount it was claimed. Must admit I was alway sceptical about this claim.

Obviously F&V are very good for you ( I love 'em) but I've never believed you need so much a day. One of the times "modern man" was at his healthiest was when rationing was in force and there was precious little f&v. What there was though was a balanced diet for everyone and no surplus. Thus people were just about getting the nutrients required and obesity was unheard of among the masses.

I would think the biggest cancer risk in our food today is all the pesticides and additives/preservatives that are added. Plus too many processed foods/ready meals on the market.

A sensible balanced diet and regula exercise is the way forward, if you happen to be genetically pre-disposed to cancer or whatever there's not a lot you can do. You lifestyle choice will either precipitate the condition or delay it a while.
Tail end Charlie

The above post may contain traces of sarcasm or/and bullsh*t.

Comments

  • Cressers
    Cressers Posts: 1,329
    That won't stop Them ramming the five-a-day down your throat...
  • Heckler1974
    Heckler1974 Posts: 479
    Five a day, I'm lucky if I get it once a month.

    What?

    Oh fruit and vegetables........I see. :oops:
  • Paulie W
    Paulie W Posts: 1,492
    Frank the tank wrote:
    Obviously F&V are very good for you ( I love 'em) but I've never believed you need so much a day. One of the times "modern man" was at his healthiest was when rationing was in force and there was precious little f&v. What there was though was a balanced diet for everyone and no surplus. Thus people were just about getting the nutrients required and obesity was unheard of among the masses.

    During WWII fruit and veg consumption probably went up. The whole digging for victory campaign meant that a significant percentage of people were growing their own.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    Living gives you cancer.

    I don't eat fruit and veg to stop getting cancer.

    I eat it because it keeps me healthy.
    _
  • Mister W
    Mister W Posts: 791
    I didn't think the whole 5 a day thing was about reducing cancer. I thought it was about being healthier.
  • sampras38
    sampras38 Posts: 1,917
    edited April 2010
    I'd much rather east things that are grown than things that are made.
  • Bikerbaboon
    Bikerbaboon Posts: 1,017
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/artic ... t-veg.html

    love the mail.
    Nothing in life can not be improved with either monkeys, pirates or ninjas
    456
  • sampras38
    sampras38 Posts: 1,917
    Bikerbaboon wrote:
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1085522/One-parents-thinks-Jaffa-Cakes-cola-count-fruit-veg.html

    love the mail.

    A survey of who..mental patients?
  • Homer J
    Homer J Posts: 920
    I can't see the advantage of eating all that fruit, the veg I get, good carbs, fibre and minerals. But the fruit is loaded with sugar(frutcose). I'm sure some braniac will tell me of fruits that aren't but i'm sure i'm not way off the mark.
  • Seanos
    Seanos Posts: 301
    Mister W wrote:
    I didn't think the whole 5 a day thing was about reducing cancer. I thought it was about being healthier.

    +1. The fact that there's a small reduction in cancer (5,000 cases a year so not that small in real terms) is incidental really when you take into account the health benefits and reduction in heart disease and strokes.

    II'm not really sure why the study became news in the first place. Oh hang on. It became news because the media wanted to run moronic headlines like '5 a day won't stop you getting cancer'.
  • DaSy
    DaSy Posts: 599
    I was baffled by this headline too, I was not of the impression that the 5-a-day campaign was about reducing cancer risk at all.

    A quick look on the NHS website showed this up -

    5 A DAY is based on advice from the World Health Organization, which recommends eating a minimum of 400g of fruit and vegetables a day to lower the risk of serious health problems, such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and obesity.

    So once again the media manages to try to belittle a worthy cause with misinformation. 5-a-day also fails to reduce the number of car accidents, maybe that will be tomorrows headlines?
    Complicating matters since 1965
  • Stuey01
    Stuey01 Posts: 1,273
    DaSy wrote:
    5-a-day also fails to reduce the number of car accidents, maybe that will be tomorrows headlines?

    Not true. Increased carrot consumption leads to better night vision and reduced accidents between the hours of dusk and dawn.
    :wink:
    Not climber, not sprinter, not rouleur
  • Heckler1974
    Heckler1974 Posts: 479
    Five a day increases your house price - TRUE FACT!
  • stigofthedump
    stigofthedump Posts: 331
    I think i read somewhere that the Japanese encourage 13 F&V a day. This was seen as completely unattainable in Britain so the number 5 was plucked from the air.
    However the basic idea to encourage more consumption of fresh produce, and helping with a better balanced diet is, IMO, pretty sound.
    By the way, 2 Litres of water a day was arrived at through similar methods and has little scientific basis.
  • pottssteve
    pottssteve Posts: 4,069
    5 a day probably also encourages illegal immigrants....etc..
    Head Hands Heart Lungs Legs
  • Heckler1974
    Heckler1974 Posts: 479
    pottssteve wrote:
    5 a day probably also encourages illegal immigrants....etc..

    "They come to this country and take our five a day.

    Copyright BlackPanther 2010
  • MrChuck
    MrChuck Posts: 1,663
    DaSy wrote:
    I was baffled by this headline too, I was not of the impression that the 5-a-day campaign was about reducing cancer risk at all.

    A quick look on the NHS website showed this up -

    5 A DAY is based on advice from the World Health Organization, which recommends eating a minimum of 400g of fruit and vegetables a day to lower the risk of serious health problems, such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and obesity.

    So once again the media manages to try to belittle a worthy cause with misinformation. 5-a-day also fails to reduce the number of car accidents, maybe that will be tomorrows headlines?

    +1
    My first reaction to that headline was "who said it was supposed to?"
  • sampras38
    sampras38 Posts: 1,917
    BBC journalism has been going down the pan for ages and it's now starting to mirror the sort of stuff you'd see in Heat magazine.

    And don't get me started on Sky News.
  • turnerjohn
    turnerjohn Posts: 1,069
    Bikerbaboon wrote:
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1085522/One-parents-thinks-Jaffa-Cakes-cola-count-fruit-veg.html

    love the mail.

    Price-less pmsl !
  • Stewie Griffin
    Stewie Griffin Posts: 4,330
    I have just had a bunch of grapes for lunch, might as well have had chips then :cry: .
  • ednwireland
    ednwireland Posts: 85
    terry's chocolate orange is afruit isnt it ?
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    Stewie Griffin wrote:
    I have just had a bunch of grapes for lunch, might as well have had chips then :cry: .


    :lol::lol::lol::lol:
  • cee
    cee Posts: 4,553
    Stuey01 wrote:
    DaSy wrote:
    5-a-day also fails to reduce the number of car accidents, maybe that will be tomorrows headlines?

    Not true. Increased carrot consumption leads to better night vision and reduced accidents between the hours of dusk and dawn.
    :wink:

    I love the carrots make you see better at night story! Best propoganda ever and what a way to explain the fact that you can bomb targets at night...

    radar you say? what radar....nope...no radar here...just like you!..carrots. dig for victory!
    Whenever I see an adult on a bicycle, I believe in the future of the human race.

    H.G. Wells.
  • Splottboy
    Splottboy Posts: 3,694
    The mrs works at a hospital. A little old man was brought in, with a carrot covered with a comdom, rammed up his butt ! Apparently, this wasn't the first time either...
    He told the staff and his wife, he accidentaly "sat" on it

    I said to my wife, "Did the Doctor, say...Sit there and don't stew?"
    or, take the carrot out and shout, "Errr, what's up Doc?"
  • davis
    davis Posts: 2,506
    Feh. Eat food. Not too much, mostly plants.

    Next.
    Sometimes parts break. Sometimes you crash. Sometimes it’s your fault.
  • Flying Monkey
    Flying Monkey Posts: 51
    Stewie Griffin wrote:
    I have just had a bunch of grapes for lunch, might as well have had chips then :cry: .

    I was gutted when i found out that wine didn't count!
  • bails87
    bails87 Posts: 12,998
    Stuey01 wrote:
    DaSy wrote:
    5-a-day also fails to reduce the number of car accidents, maybe that will be tomorrows headlines?

    Not true. Increased carrot consumption leads to better night vision and reduced accidents between the hours of dusk and dawn.
    :wink:

    Yeah, but have you ever tried to eat a pumpkin, or crack open a coconut, while driving? :wink:
    MTB/CX

    "As I said last time, it won't happen again."
  • markyboy2005
    markyboy2005 Posts: 465
    cee wrote:
    Stuey01 wrote:
    DaSy wrote:
    5-a-day also fails to reduce the number of car accidents, maybe that will be tomorrows headlines?

    Not true. Increased carrot consumption leads to better night vision and reduced accidents between the hours of dusk and dawn.
    :wink:

    I love the carrots make you see better at night story! Best propoganda ever and what a way to explain the fact that you can bomb targets at night...

    radar you say? what radar....nope...no radar here...just like you!..carrots. dig for victory!

    What???? Its true I Tell Ya.......Have you ever seen a rabbit wearing glasses?

    I rest my case
  • snailracer
    snailracer Posts: 968
    markyboy2005 wrote:
    ...
    What???? Its true I Tell Ya.......Have you ever seen a rabbit wearing glasses?
    ...
    I can barely see an elephant without 'em.

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