Does a certain fruit-based drink count in my 10-a-day?

How are you getting on with the new 10-a-day advice?

I refer of course to the recommended guidelines on the amount of fruit and veg we consume, rather than anything to do with smoking. I must admit, my first instinct on hearing the new recommendation was to panic about my mortality.

If we have to eat this amount every day in order to live longer, what can this mean about the previous decades where I haven’t eaten 10-a-day? Does it mean I have not got much time left? Will I have to spend this time on some sort of smoothie drip?

I start this challenge from a distinct advantage as I like fruit and veg. Unlike Mr P, I do not have a built-in mistrust of anything green on a plate.

However, I am struggling with the concept of stuffing 10 portions down every day. I mean, much of the day will have to be spent chugging the green stuff. Who has the time?

Thankfully, some words of wisdom were forthcoming from the younger generation: “If you choose the right toppings, you can have all your 10-aday on a pizza” said The Teenager with great authority.

“Actually, if I eat two pizzas a day I’ll probably live way past 100.” What? “It’s a scientific fact.” I blame the parents. The stats from the latest study, by Imperial College in London, were quite convincing – showing that adopting the new guidelines could prevent 7.8 million premature deaths every year.

It is just quite difficult to get my head around the volume we are now supposed to be scoffing.

I can’t help thinking of the comedian Al Murray’s Pub Landlord creation who is always talking about “a glass of white wine/fruit-based drink for the lady”.

With this in mind, I have been wondering if I may be able to substitute this tipple – made from grapes, after all – for some of my 10-a-day.

Worth a try, I think you’ll agree. In fact, if I go over that limit, I could probably forget all the angst about how much fruit and veg I am consuming.

Chin chin.

Lucy Penman