Want to Live Longer? Eat More Fruit and Vegetables!

By: Mark Lange, PhD

A meta-analysis, published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, gathered data from 95 studies on a total of 2 million people.  The studies include 43,000 cases of heart disease, 47,000 cases of stroke, 81,000 cases of cardiovascular disease, and 112,000 cases of cancer.  The researchers concluded that 7.8 million premature deaths worldwide would be prevented each year if people ate 10 servings of fruit and vegetables each day.

The researchers touted apples, citrus fruit, spinach, broccoli, and cabbage as being particularly beneficial in lowering the risks of heart disease, stroke, and cardiovascular disease.  Green beans, peppers, and carrots may reduce cancer risk.

So how much is a serving?  It’s approximately one small banana, an apple, or 3 heaping tablespoons of cooked vegetables.  So start today and eat your way to a longer life!

Source: Aune, D, et al.  doi: 10.1093/ije/dyw319