Strawberry and brussel sprouts crowned the North West's favourite fruit and veg

A new survey, commissioned to promote Diabetes UK's 'Food you Love' campaign during Diabetes Week, has found that brussel sprouts are the North West's favourite vegetable, receiving 12% of the total vote. Strawberry saw off stiff competition from the banana to take the fruit crown with a 16% of the vote. 

Following strawberry at the top of the table were apple, pineapple and melon. Conversely, some produce seems to have fallen from favour with only 1% of people voting for pomegranate, peach and grapefruit.

The quintessential Christmas dinner veg, brussel sprouts were joined by mushroom and sweetcorn at the top of the veg table, both receiving 11% of the vote, while kale was a surprise claimant for the region's least favourite vegetable receiving no votes. 

Elsewhere in the north there were a few surprises, with Manchester voting the mushroom its most popular vegetable (13%), while people in the North East are the nation's biggest pineapple fans with 22% voting for the spiky fruit.  

In order to get people eating more healthily, Diabetes UK has embarked on a new 'Food you love' advertising campaign all about healthy eating to inspire everyone with recipes featuring the food they love, but healthier. The charity hopes the easy recipes and tips will inspire more people to make small changes that can make a big difference to how they manage their diabetes.  

Dan Howarth, Head of Care at Diabetes UK, said:- "It is fascinating to see the variation in the North West's fruit and veg taste. Who knew that we were so keen on strawberries, or that more than one in ten think the brussel sprout is the best veg?  Eating fruit and veg is a great way of getting vital vitamins and fibre and a much healthier snack option than reaching for crisps, cereal bars or even smoothies. They are also low in calories and super filling." 

The 'Food you love' campaign is being fronted by 5 'everyday' people living with diabetes cooking their favourite recipes and has received celebrity support from chefs including:- Jamie Oliver, Prue Leith, 'Deliciously' Ella and Angela Hartnett. 

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During Diabetes Week, the charity will be highlighting the importance of a healthy diet and lifestyle in managing all types of diabetes and preventing Type 2 diabetes, through eating well, getting active and maintaining a healthy weight.

The charity's theme for Diabetes Week 2017:- 'Know Diabetes. Fight Diabetes', reflects this call for change. They're asking others to get involved, share their stories of how they know or fight diabetes online and help the charity fight for a world where diabetes can do no harm.