Vegetables, berries and fruits are the basis of our diet and for this reason, they should be part of every meal. A vegetable-based diet contains several bioactive components and research findings indicate that these protect against chronic diseases. People with a diet containing a large amount of vegetables are slimmer and have lower blood lipid levels, lower blood pressure and are less likely to have cardiovascular diseases or type 2 diabetes than the rest of the population.
Studies have shown that fibre can protect against type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, cancer of the large intestine and rectal cancer. Fibre helps to reduce the blood levels of the harmful LDL cholesterol, facilitates bowel movements and prevents constipation. It also keeps you satisfied for long periods, which makes weight management easier.
Contents
Eating vegetables, berries and fruits in accordance with the recommendations will be made easy for consumers.
Operators are encouraged to offer products that encourage consumers to use vegetables, berries and fruits in accordance with the nutrition recommendations and to promote their use through marketing communications and other measures.
This may not simultaneously affect the nutritional quality of the products by increasing the content of salt, sugar and saturated fats in particular.
Targets
- We should eat at least 500 g (5-6 portions) of vegetables, berries, fruits and mushrooms every day.* About half of this total should be berries and fruits and the other half vegetables.
- At main meals, legumes will be used as a protein source on a weekly basis.
- A broader range and larger amounts of vegetables will be made available.
*Excluding potato and juices made from vegetables, berries and fruits.
At population level, the use of vegetables, berries and fruits will increase by 30 per cent by the year 2020, compared with the Findiet 2012 survey. (In 2012, men consumed an average of about 300 g and women about 350 g of vegetables, berries and fruits each day. The long-term target is 500 g/day).
We are taking the following measures to increase the content of vegetables, berries and fruits in the diet
- We will broaden the range of vegetable-based products available to consumers.
- We will make the products more visible and broaden the range of products in accordance with the harvest season.
- We will increase the vegetable content in convenience foods.
- We will offer both vegetable foods and vegetable-based meals, in which the vegetable content is higher (the meals will always include salads and warm vegetables).
- When serving lunch, we will place vegetables and vegetable meals at the beginning of the service line, while in grocery stores and supermarkets they will be placed at the start of the shopping route.
- We will make more use of vegetable-based products as replacements for meat by, for example, developing recipes containing them.
- We will take measures to encourage the use of vegetables, berries and fruits. The measures will include marketing communications, food education methods (such as the sense-based Sapere education and taste clubs and schools) and recipes.
Examples of commitments
Example 1: We will increase the vegetable content in our portion meals so that by the year 2020, 50 per cent of the products will contain vegetables corresponding to at least one portion.
Example 2: Vegetable options will account for 30 per cent of our product range by the year 2020.
Example 3: Vegetable salads and vegetable additions will be placed at the start of the service lines in all our lunch restaurants by the year 2018.
Example 4: By the year 2020, all daycare centres in our municipality will be familiarising children with vegetables, berries and fruits on a regular basis using the Sapere food education method.
Example 5: From the start of 2018, our daily offers will always include vegetables, berries and/or fruits.