Making vegetables more appealing

[00:00.40] As a child, I was always told to 'eat my greens'. These were the unappealing vegetables that sat on the edge of my plate.

[00:08.64] Peas, broccoli and green beans, all looked and tasted disgusting.

[00:13.15] Let's face it, when there were so many other edible treats to enjoy, why eat boring veg?

[00:19.80] Since then my taste buds have developed and I'm also fully aware of the health benefits of eating fresh vegetables.

[00:26.97] But we still need reminding of the amazing goodness these green superfoods give us.

[00:32.28] In the UK, a campaign based on advice from the World Health Organization has been running for several years to encourage us to eat our '5 A Day' – five portions of fruit and vegetables.

[00:43.70] That's because evidence has shown there are significant health benefits to getting at least five 80g portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day.

[00:55.39] But I struggle trying to fit these five portions into my daily diet, partly because I have a sweet tooth and vegetables are, well, tasteless.

[01:05.48] Researchers have been looking at how to make eating vegetables more attractive.

[01:10.00] They analysed the psychology behind our food choices and found that most of us are motivated by taste.

[01:17.43] Brad Turnwald from Stanford University says that "studies show that people tend to think of healthier options as less tasty for some reason."

[01:27.00] His team carried out an experiment in the university cafeteria where they gave vegetables seductive names and found sales increased by 25 per cent.

[01:37.89] They got rid of healthy labels such as 'wholesome' and gave identical dishes names like 'sizzlin' beans', 'dynamite beets' and 'twisted citrus-glazed carrots'.

[01:50.11] It seems that these indulgent names tempted diners to fill their plates.

[01:55.68] Brad Turnwald says that "labels really can influence our sensory experience, affecting how tasty and filling we think food will be."

[02:05.25] In Europe, a project called VeggieEAT has also been trying to find ways to get people to eat more veg.

[02:12.95] Project leader, Professor Heather Hartwell believes in "health by stealth", subtly nudging people into eating the right things.

[02:21.72] One idea has been to put a picture of a tasty looking fruit on a supermarket trolley as a hint about buying something from the fruit aisle.

[02:30.48] She says, "Choice is a really complex thing. But this study suggests that giving vegetables an indulgent tag can help raise their hierarchy."

[02:40.58] Certainly, eating 'twisted citrus-glazed carrots' does sound tempting, even if it just tastes like a carrot, but if it makes us eat more vegetables then that can only be a good thing for our health.