We test the most fun ways to get your five-a-day fruit and vegetables fix – plus we try out body oils
According to experts, eating more fruit and vegetables can ward off depression and anxiety, making it a low-cost way to improve the nation’s mental health
EATING ten portions of fruit and vegetables a day can give you the same happiness boost that you get from getting married or being offered a new job according to a new study.
Experts believe the vitamins ward off depression and anxiety and are a low-cost way to improve the nation’s mental health. Today we have looked at the latest fun ways to get your five a day and tested body oils.
Health
with Jane Atkinson
Bar
- Freya's Crunchy Fruit Bar - £1.30 per 15g bar,
These are bars of fresh fruit that have been freeze dried to keep in the vitamins and pressed into a bar shape.
250g of fresh fruit is used to make 100g of the product. Each bar counts as one of your five a day.
The texture is weird, like the red fruit you get in Special K. Plus the fruit sticks to your teeth.
Nice strong fruity flavour though and only 35 calories per bar. Don't expect to be filled up though!
Crisps
- Pineapple Crisps, £1.25 per 20g bag,
These are pieces of fruit that are air dried not fried.
Each pack contains one of your five a day and is high in fibre and vitamin C.
These are lovely. The pineapple has a great fresh, fruity flavour plus they've got a great crunch.
Just 69kcal per bag. Great alternative to savoury crisps. I would have these in the cupboard for kids.
Tea
- Pineapple, Beetroot and Parsnip fruit and vegetable tea - 50p per portion -
This is air-dried fruit and vegetables that you put into a cup or pot and add water to make tea.
The idea is that you then eat the fruit and vegetables afterwards.
It is a strange mix and I was surprised I didn't hate it. But I didn't love it either.
I put the tea into a mug and the floaty bits just kept getting in the way when trying to drink.
The parsnip made me think of roast dinners too. I'd rather have a cup of tea and a separate piece of fruit.
Beauty
With Gabrielle Stein
Budget
- Burt's Bees, Mama Bee Nourishing Body Oil £9.99, 115ml,
A body oil formulated with Vitamin E to keep skin supple and hydrated as well as sweet almond and lemon oils to calm and nourish the skin.
It smells incredible like a sweet lemon cake and left skin hydrated but without lots of excess oil left on the skins surface.
They recommend using straight from the shower or bath when skin is damp for maximum absorption and this is a great tip - it really works! Fab option for the price!
Mid range
- Trilogy, Pure Plant Body Oil £15.50, 110ml
Fragrance-free body oil with an abundance of natural ingredients.
Apricot is added to soothe inflammation whilst rosehip oil repairs and hydrates dry and damaged skin.
Sweet almond oil balances the skin's natural pH and the oil also claims to improve stretchmarks and scarring.
The plant-sourced ingredients give this a botanical rather than a sweet scent.
It absorbed pretty much instantly and skin tone did appear more even with continued use, but skin wasn't left as soft as the other two.
Luxury
- Ren Skincare, Moroccan Rose Ultra-Moisture Body Oil £35.00, 100ml
A rose-infused body oil that provides intense hydration whilst restoring suppleness to leave skin soft and radiant.
This definitely felt the most luxurious of the three. It smells amazing and absorbs wonderfully.
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Moroccan Rose Otto oil has anti-inflammatory properties and works to relieve stress and soothe the skin.
Carthame oil nourishes and repairs the skins barrier whilst macadamia oil strengthens against moisture loss.
This left my skin the most hydrated of the three - my favourite!