Four Vegetables That Don't Count As One Of Your Five A Day

This article from HuffPost UK clarifies confusion around the UK's 'five-a-day' campaign, which recommends 400g of fruits and vegetables daily. While potatoes, yams, cassava, and plantain are technically vegetables, they do not count toward the five-a-day goal because they are starchy foods often used as substitutes for grains like bread, rice, or pasta. Research cited from MedlinePlus shows starchy vegetables and fruit juices offer fewer health benefits in reducing chronic disease risk. The NHS also notes that fruit juices and smoothies count only once regardless of quantity, and intake should be limited to 150ml due to low fiber and high sugar content. Interestingly, sweet potatoes, parsnips, swedes, and turnips still count because they are typically eaten alongside starchy staples. The article emphasizes that excluded vegetables can still be nutritious but are not part of the campaign's health targets.