5 servings of fruits and vegetables .. Get to know the latest healthy diet

“Eating about 5 daily servings of fruits and vegetables, eaten as two fruit and three vegetable meals, is an ideal combination for a longer life,” this is the latest finding, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, early this month.

Professor Dong Wang, an epidemiologist and nutritionist at Harvard Medical School, and the author of the research - he and colleagues - analyzed data from 26 studies involving nearly 2 million participants of both genders, in 29 countries around the world.

In addition to two studies that included more than 100,000 adults (66,719 women, and 42,16 men), which were followed for 3 decades, on the relationship between fruit and vegetable intake and death rates.

And it turns out that all of their results linked eating about 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily to a reduced risk of death.

Based on his team's research, Wang stressed that everyone, men and women, should consume fruits and vegetables daily, according to the "5 a day" system as the optimal consumption level that supports public health with evidence.

Each type of vegetable and fruit contains different amounts and groups of nutrients (communication sites).

Half of your plate is fruits and vegetables

Dr. says.

Ann Thorndike, professor at Harvard Medical School, "This research provides strong evidence for the lifelong benefits of eating fruits and vegetables, and accurately suggests the amount that should be consumed daily to keep our hearts and our bodies healthy."

So the American Heart Association recommends "filling at least half of your plate with fruits and vegetables every meal."

Diets rich in fruits and vegetables provide many health benefits as they contain important vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, and as a good source of fiber.

It reduces the risk of many chronic health conditions that lead to death, including cardiovascular disease and cancer.

It can also help reduce blood pressure, maintain healthy eyesight and promote digestive health.

And because "each type of vegetable and fruit contains different amounts and groups of nutrients and compounds, it is best to eat a variety, to make sure you get the full benefit," according to Dr.

Lucy Chambers is a Senior Scientist at the British Nutrition Foundation.

Although the research has cautioned that "not all fruits and vegetables achieve the same degree of benefit," leafs such as spinach, lettuce, kale, and fruits and vegetables rich in beta-carotene and vitamin C, known as the "orange red pigment" found in carrots, plums, melons, berries and citrus fruits, are the most likely to achieve results. .

As for "fruit juices, and starchy vegetables such as peas, corn and potatoes, they may not have the same benefits."

The study also warned that "no additional benefits are achieved from any consumption in excess of the five specified daily rations."

The easiest way

Fresh vegetables and fruits are one of the easiest ways to avoid disease later in life. American scientists even suggest that doctors write them in their prescriptions, saying, "This will ultimately save more money than preventive medicine."

But much of the good advice appears to be often overlooked.

The study revealed that individuals who ate the five servings of fruits and vegetables daily achieved a 35% reduction in the risk of developing respiratory diseases, a 12% reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke, and a 10% lower risk of developing cancer compared to those who ate. Only two servings.

However, figures from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that only one in 10 individuals eats the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables per day.

Only 12% of adults in the United States eat enough fruit, compared to only 9% of them eat enough vegetables, and the minimum consumption is found among low-income people.

Note that a portion of fruit is a medium-sized piece (such as an apple), half a cup of canned fruit, or a quarter cup of dried fruit.

A portion of vegetables is a cup of leafy vegetables as a serving, or half a cup of fresh, canned, or frozen cut vegetables.

Tips

To further enjoy fruits and vegetables as a great way to improve your health, here are some tips from the Harvard School of Public Health:

Keep fruits where you can see them, place several washed ready-to-eat fruits in a bowl on your table, or store chopped colorful fruits in a glass jar in the refrigerator to entice sweet lovers.

Variety and color are the key to a healthy diet, so try to get at least one serving from each of the following categories: dark green leafy vegetables, yellow or orange fruits and vegetables, red fruits and vegetables, legumes and citrus fruits.

Skip potatoes, and choose other vegetables that are full of various nutrients and slowly digested carbohydrates.

Make it a meal, and try cooking recipes that contain more vegetables, such as salads and soups.

Choose other vegetables that are full of different nutrients and slowly digested carbohydrates (Deutsche Welle).

Is juice better?

Some believe that consuming juice is better than eating whole fruits and vegetables, because the body will absorb nutrients better and relax your digestive system from digesting fiber.

And they add that the squeezing may help in losing weight.

But there is no scientific evidence that juices are healthier than eating the same fruit or vegetables.

"Juicing is not better for health than eating whole fruits and vegetables," says nutritionist Kathryn Zyratsky, on the Mayo Clinic website. Even though juice contains most of the beneficial vitamins and minerals, it deprives us of healthy fiber. Harmful bacteria can also grow quickly in juice. Fresh ".