More than a quarter of Romanians do not eat vegetables every day, according to a Nestlé Romania survey

More than a quarter of Romanians (27%) do not consume vegetables every day, and 52% consume only one portion per day, while only 21% consume 2-3 portions of vegetables daily at the main meals of the day, according to a Masmi survey commissioned by Nestlé. Only 2 out of 10 Romanians consider that they serve balanced meals most of the time.

Healthy food options are perceived as more expensive by 46% of respondents, which is the most important barrier to healthy eating. Almost as important is the lack of time. 30% of Romanians believe that lack of time prevents them from following a healthy diet.

For example, over half (55%) of study participants say that preparing healthy meals takes longer. 26% of Romanians do not really know, in fact, what constitutes a healthy diet, lacking nutritional education and clear and practical information. According to the survey commissioned by Nestlé, only 20% of Romanians say that they do not necessarily like the taste of healthier foods.

It’s no wonder that one out of two Romanians is overweight or obese, and that’s exactly why Nestlé, the largest food and beverage company in the world, has been making efforts for years to educate consumers in the direction of adopting healthier eating habits, through the NutriPortia initiative.

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It has a version dedicated exclusively to encouraging the consumption of plant-based foods: vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains: VeggiePortion, to have a healthier and more sustainable diet.

“Now, at the balance between summer and autumn, we are in full season of fresh vegetables and fruits, the housewives are preparing the winter preserves, the star being the traditional sausage. A mushroom or bean sausage eaten with wholemeal bread can be, if you like, an example of a traditional VeggiePortion. For those who don’t have time for that, there are fresh vegetables and, in the winter, frozen vegetables, which preserve minerals and nutrients quite well with quick freezing immediately after harvesting. Whether you’re an omnivore, vegetarian, vegan or flexitarian, VeggiePortion helps you prepare balanced meals exclusively from plant-based foods, which provide you with all the macronutrients you need (vegetable proteins, good carbohydrates, fats), as well as a good part of micronutrients (vitamins and minerals),” says Nicoleta Tupiță, licensed dietitian and Nutrition and Internal Communication Manager Nestlé Romania, Bulgaria, and the Adriatic Countries.

Along with NutriPortia aimed at children, VeggiePortia is part of Nestlé’s effort and mission to contribute to improving the quality of life, offering healthy and tasty options to those who want to have a balanced lifestyle. A diet rich in fibre can reduce the risk of bowel cancer, fruit and vegetable consumption is also linked to improved bone health and can reduce the likelihood of unhealthy weight gain by providing an abundant range of vitamins and minerals that our bodies need needed to function properly.

The same study also shows us an increasing trend in fruit and vegetable consumption. About a third of Romanians declare that they have increased the frequency of buying fruits and vegetables, either because they are more affordable compared to animal products, or because they want to eat healthier. Vegetables can be cooked with taste and the preparation time is much shorter than in the case of meat dishes, and you can find a lot of useful information for a healthy and varied diet, recipes, and recommendations here.

It is recommended that you eat at least 5 portions (or 400 g) of fruit and vegetables per day. In general, a serving (for an adult) of fruit or vegetables is 80g, and don’t forget that variety matters too. Try to include a colourful assortment of fruits and vegetables in your daily menu, because each serving provides a wide range of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants essential for our health and well-being.

Finally, ignore all the negative myths about fruits and vegetables. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables is linked to a reduced risk of various diseases. Also, frozen fruits and vegetables can retain more vitamins and minerals and save you money and are an easy way to ensure you always have fruits and vegetables available at home.

A healthy diet, mainly plant-based, also has a lower impact on the environment than meat and other foods of animal origin. Although there is a large difference in the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by different types of food, in general, the production of fruits and vegetables emits less greenhouse gases compared to animal products such as meat beef and dairy, 10-50 times smaller!