Is Japanese vegetable intake below average? The latest data and improvement measures

How do you store it?It keeps 3–4 days refrigerated, or up to a month frozen in an ice-cube tray. You can thaw just what you need and add it to dishes, which is convenient.

The Japanese average vegetable intake is 256.0 g, about 100 g short of the 350 g recommended by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. The FY2023 National Health and Nutrition Survey shows a significant decline among men over the past decade. Research by the National Cancer Center also found all-cause mortality risk 7–9% lower in the group with higher intake. We analyze causes such as busy lifestyles and more eating out, and explain solutions.

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The daily vegetable intake recommended by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare is 350 g. Yet according to the FY2023 (2023) National Health and Nutrition Survey, the average Japanese vegetable intake stands at just 256.0 g (262.2 g for men, 250.6 g for women).

Seeing this figure, how do you feel?

There's a gap of about 100 g between the recommended amount and actual intake, laying bare the reality that many Japanese aren't getting enough of the vegetables they need. More concerning still, the survey found that men's vegetable intake has declined significantly over the past decade, and women's has declined significantly since 2015 as well.

野菜や果物を多く取り入れる食生活は、毎日の健康維持の観点から大切とされています。

野菜不足は栄養素の偏りにつながります。バランスのよい食生活の観点から、十分な野菜摂取が大切とされています。

また、野菜に含まれる食物繊維は腸内環境に関わる成分として知られています。毎日の食事選択は、食生活の充実に大きく影響します。

found that groups with higher fruit and vegetable intake had an all-cause mortality risk about 7–9% lower than groups with lower intake. The reduction in mortality risk from cardiovascular disease was especially marked.

A vegetable shortfall is linked not only to nutrient deficiency but also to an increased risk of lifestyle-related diseases. In preventing conditions common among modern people — diabetes, high blood pressure, dyslipidemia — sufficient vegetable intake plays a major role.

Also, the dietary fiber in vegetables regulates the gut environment and contributes to improved immune function. Furthermore, antioxidants prevent cellular aging, so an effect of maintaining youthfulness can be expected too. Your health is greatly influenced by your daily food choices.

Why is vegetable intake falling short?

There are several conceivable reasons vegetable intake isn't reaching the recommended amount. The first is the busy modern lifestyle. Amid a daily life pressed for time, people tend to rely on convenient processed foods and eating out, and as a result vegetables fall short.In fact, the more a person eats out, the harder it tends to be to get enough vegetables. Eating out inevitably skews toward meat- and carbohydrate-centered menus, and vegetables fall short unless you consciously choose them.The Westernization of diets and younger generations' drift away from vegetables are also big factors. The effort of preparing vegetables, the difficulty of storing them, and price issues are barriers to sufficient intake as well.

On top of that, a lack of knowledge about the importance of vegetable intake, and low motivation to improve one's diet, also play a part.

In the FY2023 National Health and Nutrition Survey

, when it comes to intent to improve one's diet, "no intention of improving" was the most common answer, followed by "not interested."

This combination of factors leads to the Japanese vegetable-intake shortfall.

Concrete ways to increase vegetable intake

Increasing vegetable intake calls for tweaks you can work into daily life without strain. Here we introduce concrete methods even busy modern people can put into practice.

1. Ways to get vegetables in less time

Why Dried Vegetables Now? 5 Benefits Beyond Just Convenient and Nutrient-Concentrated

野菜パウダーの栄養価とメリットは？保存性・特徴まで徹底解説

There are many ways to get vegetables without spending time — working a green smoothie into breakfast, using pre-cut vegetables or salad kits, or learning vegetable recipes you can make easily in the microwave.

Also drawing attention lately are dried vegetables and vegetable powder. With excellent shelf life and easy to add to dishes, they help make up a vegetable shortfall even on busy days.

What vegetables did you eat today?2. Tips for getting more vegetables when eating out

If you eat out often, it's important to consciously choose vegetable menu items. You can make tweaks like choosing a restaurant with a salad bar, picking vegetable-rich options when ordering a set meal, or adding a vegetable side to an à la carte dish.

A joint demonstration study by Kagome and Zenshoalso found that at stores equipped with a "nudge" — a device to encourage behavior change — and the "VegeCheck®" vegetable-intake estimator, the order rate for vegetable menu items increased. Visualizing your own vegetable-intake status becomes a motivation to consciously choose vegetables.

3. Rethinking your overall diet

According to a Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare survey

, those who eat meals combining a staple, main dish, and side dish two or more times a day, every day, are only 45.7% of men and 47.1% of women. Being mindful of a balanced diet naturally increases vegetable intake too.

Increasing how often you eat with "friends" and "acquaintances" is also effective. Compared with eating alone, eating with someone tends to lead to more nutritionally balanced meals.

New options for sustainable vegetable intake

To resolve a vegetable shortfall, it's worth considering new options beyond conventional fresh vegetables. Processed items such as dried vegetables and vegetable powder are one of them.

These have excellent shelf life and can greatly cut cooking effort. Even amid busy days, just adding them to soup or a smoothie lets you get vegetables easily.

野菜不足は単なる栄養問題ではなく、栄養バランスの偏りにつながります。忙しいライフスタイル、外食の増加、調理の手間など、多様な要因が野菜摂取を妨げています。

Summary: to increase the Japanese vegetable intake

小さな変化の積み重ねが、毎日の食生活の充実につながります。

A vegetable shortfall isn't merely a nutritional issue; it greatly affects health, including increased all-cause and cardiovascular mortality risk. Busy lifestyles, more eating out, and the effort of cooking are among the many factors hindering vegetable intake.

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