Getting your five-a-day is all very well, but are you eating the right ones?

We have long been told that getting our five-a-day is key to living a long, healthy life.

But now scientists have revealed that it is not the quantity but the quality of fruits and vegetables that matters – as some have more benefits than others.

A nutrient in plums, blackberries and cranberries can slash the risk of heart disease – but millions of Britons do not get enough of it.

A study found that less than one in five are consuming the recommended amount of flavanols, a powerful antioxidant also found in apples, strawberries and green tea.

Researchers say that even those who eat five portions of fruit or vegetables a day are failing to consume enough of the nutrient.

Previous studies have shown that doing so can reduce the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease by nearly a third.

The researchers believe their findings raise wider questions about whether current dietary recommendations around fruit and vegetable consumption could be made more effective.

Professor Gunter Kuhnle, of the University of Reading, said: 'Five-a-day is the right message, but we may need to think more carefully about which five.

'Different fruits and vegetables offer very different nutritional benefits beyond vitamins and minerals, and as our understanding of these compounds grows, there is a real opportunity to make dietary guidance more specific and more effective.'

The study, published in the journal Food and Function, tracked the diets of more than 30,000 people in the UK and the US.

Experts believe flavanols reduce inflammation in the body and improve the function of blood vessels – lowering the risk of heart issues.

Dr Javier Ottaviani, the study's lead author, said: 'Including a handful of blackberries, a whole apple or having a cup of green tea alongside your meal could make a real difference to how much of these beneficial compounds you consume and absorb.'