Do processed foods have a role role in the 5-a-day diet?

摘要

Evidence has been building for yeans that fruit and vegetables contain important ingre-dients, known as phytochemicals, which help to fight illnesses such as cancer and heart disease. But few of us actually manage to eat sufficient fruit and veg during a work-ing day to get the full benefit. So to encour-age consumption, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs included in its 2002 Food and Health Action Plan the concept of a 5-a-day logo scheme. Under the scheme frozen, canned, dried and 100% juiced fruit and vegetables could count towards the five portions a day. But when Heinz put a 5-a-day logo on its cans of tomato soup, it found itself in the firing line from consumer groups claiming that because the product also contained fat, salt and sugar, it should not be allowed to carry the logo.