Eating fruits and vegetables is known to be a healthy habit, but scientists now suggest that eating 10 portions of fruits and veggies can lead to a longer lifespan.
A team of researchers from the Imperial College London analyzed 95 cases when it comes to habits involving fruit and vegetable consumption. They suggest that eating 10 portions is highly beneficial when it comes to preventing chronic diseases.
Eating ten servings of fruits and vegetables is almost measured around 800 grams and incorporating this daily in your regular diet can reduce the risk of stroke by 33 percent and cardiovascular disease by 28 percent. Also, this hefty serving can reduce heart disease by 24 percent, premature death by 31 percent, and cancer as well by 13 percent.
"We investigated how much fruit and vegetables you need to eat to obtain the maximum protection against disease and premature death. Our new findings suggest that five portions of fruit and vegetables is good enough, but making it ten can help you reach maximum health benefits and protection from disease," Dagfinn Aune from the School of Public Health at the Imperial College London said.
Aune explains that fruits and vegetables are proven to reduce cholesterol levels and lower blood pressure. They can also boost our immune system and produce healthy blood cells. This is attributed to the rich nutrients and minerals these plants bring. They also contain many antioxidants that can reduce damage to our DNA and can significantly reduce cancer risk.
Those who are living in the United States often suffer from poor and unhealthy eating habits, and this new finding is crucial in creating a balanced diet. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, less than 18 percent of American adults eat the recommended amount of fruits, and less than 14 percent consume the recommended number of vegetables.
This new study is published in the International Journal of Epidemiology.