| General Information |
- Nutrients in fruit
Generally, fruit is rich in important nutrients such as dietary fibre, minerals and vitamins, which are very beneficial to health.
| Nutrients |
Major Benefits |
| Dietary Fibre |
It helps stabilise blood sugar and prevent constipation. Particularly, soluble fibre can protect the intestinal wall and reduce the absorption of bad cholesterol. |
| Potassium |
It helps stabilise blood pressure and promote heart health. |
| Iron |
It is the main component in the production of haemoglobin in red blood cells and helps prevent iron deficiency anaemia. |
| Vitamin B Complex |
It helps maintain cell metabolism and is one of the most essential nutrients for the body. |
| Vitamin C |
It produces collagen, promotes growth and repair of cells, and speeds up healing of wounds. |
| β - Carotene |
It has anti-oxidising properties and helps improve vision. |
- Recommended fruit intake
According to the "Healthy Eating Food Pyramid", the recommended fruit intake for different age groups is as follows:
| Age groups |
Recommended daily intake |
| Children aged 2-5 years |
At least 1 serving of fruit |
| Children aged 6 years or above, teenagers, adults and elderly |
At least 2 servings of fruit |
- "One serving of fruit" is approximately equivalent to:
Remark:
One glass = 240 ml; one bowl = 250 – 300 ml; one tablespoon = 15 ml
*Due to the low dietary fibre content as well as the higher fructose and lower nutrient content of pure fruit juice compared to those of whole fruit, consuming pure fruit juice in excess to ¾ glass would still be counted as having only one serving of fruit on the same day.
- What is not counted as one serving of fruit?
All fresh, canned and frozen fruits are included in the recommended daily fruit intake, except:
- fruit with a lot of added sugar (e.g. dessert)
- fruit with high fat content (e.g. coconut, durian and avocado)
Therefore, it is advisable to eat different kinds of fresh fruits in order to obtain various nutrients.
For more information on recipes made with fruit, please refer to the "Recipes (fruit and vegetables) "in the"EatSmart Restaurant Start +"thematic website. |
| Fruit Classification |
There are 6 main categories of fruit:
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The main sources of nutrition information: The Centre for Food Safety, HKSAR and The Nutrient Data Laboratory, USDA. The above information is for reference only. Please consult a healthcare professional or dietitian in case of doubt.
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