The Official "5 a Day" Guidelines
To understand the role of onions and garlic, it's crucial to know the official guidelines for what constitutes a single portion of fruit or vegetables. A single portion is generally defined as 80g of fresh, frozen, or canned produce. For pulses and beans, 80g counts as a portion, but only once per day regardless of how much you eat, as they have a different nutritional profile. Similarly, a 150ml glass of unsweetened fruit juice or a smoothie counts as a maximum of one portion per day. Potatoes do not count as part of your '5 a day' because they are classified as a starchy food, which is a different component of a balanced diet. The goal is to consume a variety of different fruits and vegetables to benefit from a wide spectrum of vitamins, minerals, and fibre.
Do Onions Count Towards 5 a Day?
Yes, onions do count towards your 5 a day. A single medium-sized onion or half a large one counts as one of your portions. While it's easy to add some chopped onion to a dish, many people might not consume a full 80g portion in a single meal. For example, an onion base for a casserole or soup will be cooked and distributed among several servings. However, in dishes like an onion bhaji or a large serving of caramelized onions, an 80g portion is more achievable. Onions are also a good source of vitamin C and dietary fibre.
What About Garlic?
Garlic also counts towards your 5 a day, but its contribution is much less significant for typical usage. To qualify as a single 80g portion, a person would need to consume a very large amount of garlic, likely many bulbs, which is impractical for most people. Most recipes call for only a clove or two, weighing just a few grams. While this adds flavour and beneficial compounds, it's not a portion in the official sense. However, this does not diminish garlic's overall health benefits, which are abundant even in small doses.
Comparison of Onion and Garlic Contribution
| Feature | Onion | Garlic |
|---|---|---|
| Portion Size | A medium onion (80g) counts as one portion. | An 80g portion is required, but is highly impractical for typical recipes. |
| Role in Cooking | Often used as a primary vegetable or base for dishes. | Primarily used as a flavouring agent and spice. |
| Contribution to 5 a day | Can easily contribute a full portion when used liberally in stews, soups, or stir-fries. | Contributes a negligible amount towards a portion due to small serving sizes. |
| Nutrient Value (Typical Serving) | Provides significant fibre, vitamin C, and potassium. | Offers potent sulfur compounds like allicin, which provide antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. |
How to Maximize the Nutritional Value
Even when used for flavour, you can still maximize the nutritional benefits of alliums. For garlic, it's best to chop or crush it and let it sit for 10-15 minutes before cooking. This allows the allicin-forming enzyme, alliinase, to become active, making the beneficial compounds more resistant to heat. For both onions and garlic, using moderate cooking temperatures and avoiding prolonged, high-heat frying can help preserve their nutrients. Adding raw versions to salads or dressings is another way to ensure maximum nutritional intake. Freezing chopped onions or garlic is also a viable way to preserve them for later use without significant nutrient loss.
Beyond 5 a Day: Additional Health Benefits
The health benefits of onion and garlic extend far beyond simply contributing to your '5 a day' total. These vegetables belong to the Allium family and are packed with potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. Garlic, in particular, has been linked to improved heart health by helping to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Both alliums contain sulfur compounds that can boost the immune system and protect against oxidative stress. Onions contain quercetin, a powerful antioxidant that helps reduce inflammation. Regularly incorporating these ingredients into meals is a flavourful and healthy practice, regardless of portion size.
Incorporating Alliums into Your Diet
There are countless ways to enjoy the health benefits of onions and garlic. Here are a few simple ideas to boost your intake:
- Soups and stews: Start any hearty soup, stew, or chilli with a base of sautéed onions and garlic. For a thicker, more flavourful soup, consider blending cooked onions with other vegetables.
- Pasta sauces: Build a rich, flavourful pasta sauce from scratch using generous amounts of finely chopped onion and crushed garlic.
- Roasting: Slice onions and mix with other root vegetables, like sweet potatoes or parsnips (which do count towards your 5 a day), and roast them with garlic cloves for a delicious side dish.
- Salad dressings: Create your own vinaigrette by whisking minced garlic and red onion into olive oil and vinegar for a zesty flavour.
- Salsas and dips: Raw onion and garlic, particularly milder varieties like spring onions, are excellent in fresh salsas, guacamole, and hummus.
- Curries and stir-fries: Use onions and garlic as the aromatic foundation for a variety of international dishes. You can add them alongside other vegetables like peppers, green beans, or spinach for extra portions.
- Marinating: Infuse flavour into meat, fish, or plant-based proteins by marinating them with crushed garlic and finely chopped onion.
Conclusion: The Bottom Line
In summary, the answer to "do onion and garlic count as 5 a day?" is yes, they do, but with an important distinction based on quantity. While a medium-sized onion can represent a single portion, the typical amount of garlic used in a recipe is far too small to count towards the 80g goal. Their primary culinary purpose is flavouring, and in this role, they offer significant health benefits like antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Ultimately, incorporating onions and garlic into your daily cooking is a simple, effective way to enhance the nutritional value of your meals and move closer to your health targets, even if they don't always count as a full portion. Read more about the NHS '5 a day' guidelines here.
Cooking with alliums for a healthier you
While individual garlic cloves won't move the '5 a day' needle much, consistently using both alliums in your cooking provides compounding health benefits over time. Think of the flavour-building role they play in dishes as also building blocks for better nutrition. By using them generously in soups, stews, and sauces, you can easily ensure your meals are more nutritious and more delicious. The key takeaway is to see them as part of your overall strategy for a balanced, vegetable-rich diet, not as a shortcut to ticking off a portion. The evidence suggests that a varied intake of colourful fruits and vegetables is best, and alliums provide a vital component of that rainbow approach.
