According to a recent study, New Zealand produces more than enough vegetables to meet the five-plus-a-day recommended nutritional guidelines. However, its citizens still do not eat enough vegetables to have a fully healthy diet.
Most of the vegetables produced are the least desirable from a nutritional perspective and some of the most desirable vegetables are produced the least, found the study in the journal Earth.
New Zealand grows the equivalent of 11.7 servings of vegetables per person per day. The recommended intake is at least five servings of vegetables per person per day, and at least two servings of fruit per day.
Production of potatoes, onions, carrots, and squash made up 7.7 servings. While these are necessary and good vegetables for the average adult diet, potato production made up 4.5 servings per day (more than half) and 2.7 servings of them were processed into fries. From a nutritional perspective, processed and fried potatoes are the least desirable.
Source: stuff.co.nz