Eat Produce, Live Longer

This should not be a surprise to us. Why is it so frickin' hard?

People striving to improve their health by eating more fresh produce may want to double down on their efforts. After analyzing 95 studies on diet and well-being, researchers from Imperial College London have concluded that we should be aiming to eat 10 portions of fruit and vegetables a day, rather than the five portions recommended by the World Health Organization. They found that daily consumption of 28 ounces of fresh produce was associated with a 33 percent reduced risk of stroke, a 13 percent drop in cancer risk, and a 31 percent lower risk for premature death. “Fruit and vegetables have been shown to reduce cholesterol levels and blood pressure, and to boost the health of our blood vessels and immune system,” the study’s lead author, Dagfinn Aune, tells TheGuardian.com. These benefits may be linked to valuable nutrients found in fresh produce, such as fiber, glucosinolates, and antioxidants, which can help prevent DNA damage.

Taken from the March 17th edition of the Week Magazine.