Five-a-Day: Is It The Big Con?

How many people caught Five-a-Day: The Big Con? on Channel 5 this week?

The programme explored whether the government’s famous “5-a-day” campaign has really delivered on the promises made over the last two decades.

The message always sounded simple enough: eat five portions of fruit and vegetables every day and you’ll improve your health, reduce pressure on the NHS, help tackle obesity, and live a longer life.

More than £20 million was invested into promoting the campaign, yet the documentary highlighted that only around 30% of adults and just 8% of children consistently achieve the target. That raises an important question — has the public been given the full picture about modern nutrition?

One of the most interesting points discussed was how today’s fruit and vegetables may not contain the same nutritional value they once did. Modern farming methods have focused heavily on appearance, shelf life, and yield, but some researchers believe nutrient density has declined significantly over time.

A fascinating example referenced in Scientific American described a study suggesting that a person today may need to eat up to eight oranges to obtain the same level of Vitamin A that our grandparents could once get from just one orange decades ago.

That is a remarkable thought.

A 21st century orange may look almost identical to a 20th century orange. It may even taste just as good. But nutritionally, the differences could be far greater than most people realise.

This growing concern about declining nutrient quality is one of the reasons we created our superfood product, 5 A Day Plus V.

Our aim was simple: to help bridge the nutritional gap that many people may unknowingly face in today’s fast-paced world and modern food system.

Whilst growers and retailers continue to do an excellent job producing visually appealing fruit and vegetables, appearance alone does not always guarantee optimal nutrition.

You can learn more about our 5 A Day Plus V superfood product here: https://xenca.com/collections/five-a-day-range