You might have come across the 5 a day public health message in the UK regarding eating that many portions of fruit and vegetables. But is that optimal? No, like every other public message, 5 a day is about the minimum fruits and vegetables you should be consuming to keep healthy. The current average fruit and veg intake in the UK is 4.2 with only a third of adults and only 8% of teenagers reaching the 5 a day public health goal.