1. What are the components of a balanced diet?

[A picture showing a balanced meal, taking the food pyramid as reference, which provides grains and cereals, vegetables and meat in the ratio of 3:2:1 by volume.]There is no single food which can provide all the nutrients we need to stay healthy. Our needs for specific nutrients also vary in different stages of life. In order to fuel our body and sustain bodily functions, everybody should follow a balanced diet. The following are some of the main points:

• Choose a variety of food.
• Consume whole grains as the major component of each meal.
• Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables.
• Eat moderate amount of lean meat (including poultry, fish, seafood, eggs) or beans and reduced fat dairy products.
• Avoid processed or preserved food and food that are rich in fat, cholesterol, salt and sugar.
• Drink adequate amount of fluids.
• Have regular meals.

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2. How big is one serving of fruit?

[]One serving of fruit is approximately equal to:

• 2 pieces of small-sized fruit (e.g. plum, kiwifruit).
• 1 piece of medium-sized fruit (e.g. orange, apple).
• 1/2 piece of large-sized fruit (e.g. banana, grapefruit, star fruit).
• 1/2 bowl of fruit cuts (e.g. watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew melon).
• 1/2 bowl of mini-sized fruit (e.g. grapes, lychees, cherries, strawberries).
• 1/4 bowl of dried fruit without added sugar or salt (e.g. raisin, prune).
• 3/4 cup of pure fruit juice without added sugar (e.g. fresh orange juice with pulp).

(Remark: 1 cup/1 bowl = 240 ml; Try to choose a variety of fresh fruits to obtain different nutrients.)

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3. How big is one serving of vegetables?

[]One serving of vegetables is approximately equal to:

• 1 bowl of raw leafy vegetables (e.g. lettuce, purple cabbage).
• 1/2 bowl of cooked vegetables, sprouts, gourds or mushrooms (e.g. Chinese flowering cabbage, Chinese kale, spinach, white cabbage, bean sprouts, eggplant, carrot).
• 1/2 bowl of cooked beans (e.g. snow peas, red kidney beans).
• 3/4 cup of fresh vegetable juice without added sugar (e.g. fresh tomato juice with pulp).

(Remark: 1 cup/1 bowl = 240 ml; Try to choose a variety of fresh vegetables to obtain different nutrients.)

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4. Is potato a kind of vegetables?

Potato is classified as a root vegetable, but in most cases it is not counted as part of the daily 3 or more servings of vegetables, as they are often eaten in replacement of grains and other carbohydrate-rich food during meals, especially in Western diet (e.g. baked potato, mashed potato and fries). Root vegetables that are not consumed as major starch sources (e.g. carrots and green radishes), however, can be counted towards our daily vegetable intake.

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5. Are soy products, such as tofu and soy milk, regarded as vegetables?

Although processed soy products (e.g. tofu, soy milk, soybean sheet) are plant food, they are classified as part of the "protein group" under the Food Pyramid for they are rich in protein and are less dense in vitamins and fibres as compared to fruit and vegetables. They are not counted towards our daily vegetable intake.

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6. The Department of Health recommends "2 plus 3" a day. Does the recommendation apply to people of all age groups?

[A picture showing a poster promoting the '2 plus 3 a day' Fruit and Vegetable Promotional Campaign]The "2 plus 3" recommendation applies to teenagers, adults and the elderly in general. Infants and children may have slightly lower requirements for fruit and vegetables due to lower total energy requirements.

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