Fruits and vegetables should be a central part of your healthy diet

When your mother told you to eat your veggies so you would grow up big and strong, she was definitely on the right track. Fruits and vegetables contain a wide variety of essential vitamins and minerals and are also a good source of dietary fiber. In addition, researchers have linked fruit and vegetable consumption to the prevention and improvement of several different serious health threats.

But according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), many people are not eating enough of these foods. In fact, fruit and vegetable consumption by adults in the U.S. has not increased significantly since 1994. By 2005, only about 28 percent of the men in the study and approximately 30 percent of the women ate the suggested minimum five daily servings of fruits and vegetables.

“There is a compelling health argument for making a real effort to ensure you eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day,” says Dr. Michael Scott, PinnacleCare’s Director of Complementary and Alternative Medicine. “Studies have uncovered a link between the consumption of these foods and cancer prevention, improved cardiovascular health, a reduction in risk for dementia and many other health issues. And a recent study from the National Cancer Institute provided another reason to increase the amount of fruits and vegetables you eat and decrease consumption of red meat and processed meat. The men and women in the study who ate the largest amount of red meat had a more than 30 percent higher risk of dying from any cause than those who ate the least meat and another study linked these foods to significant increases in risk for esophageal, colorectal, liver and lung cancer.”

How fruits and vegetables impact your health

Cancer prevention has been the focus of a large number of research studies on nutrition. One recent study found that antioxidant carotenoids - the nutrients that give fruits and vegetables their bright orange, green, red and yellow color - lowered the risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Those who ate the most beta-carotene (found in carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, broccoli, peppers and peas) had a 19 percent lower risk while those who ate the most alpha-carotene (in carrots, pumpkin, leafy greens, tangerines, plums, raspberries and corn) had an 18 percent lower risk. Lutein and zeaxanthin, other carotenoids (in spinach, Brussels sprouts and lettuce) also had a preventive effect, with the women who ate the most foods containing these antioxidants having a 17 percent lower risk than those who ate the least amounts of these foods.

Other studies have discovered that another class of plant-derived antioxidants called flavonoids offer cancer protection. In one study, people who smoked cigarettes but who also consumed more foods containing a variety of flavonoids such as catechin, epicatechin, quercetin and kaempferol decreased their risk of developing lung cancer. Catechin and epicatechin are found in green tea as well as in dark chocolate, grapes and apricots, while quercetin and kaempferol can be found in apples and red onions. The researchers posit that the anti-cancer effect, which occurred in smokers but not non-smokers, is a result of flavonoids’ ability to combat the free radicals produced by smoking.

Head and neck cancer risk can also be positively impacted by healthy food choices. A study published in 2008 found that people who ate the most fruits and vegetables had the lowest risk of these increasingly common cancers, with a 29 percent lower risk than people who ate the least fruits and vegetables. The researchers discovered that vegetables offered more protective benefit than fruits while fruit juice offered no risk reduction. The fruits and vegetables that offered the most significant benefit include legumes, apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, plums, strawberries, tomatoes, peppers and carrots.

A recent Spanish study uncovered more positive news about the health benefits of fruits. The level of polyphenols, a group of antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables, is in fact significantly higher than originally thought. While some polyphenols can be extracted, others require an interaction with acid to be released. When consumed and digested, these nonextractable polyphenols are released into the human body. Nonextractable polyphenol content was found to be five times greater than extractable content.

Colorful diet, healthier life

Cancer prevention is not the only arena in which fruits and vegetables can boost health. A recent study of nearly 4,000 people over 48 years old found that those who ate the most vitamin C-containing foods had a significantly lower risk of developing cataracts. In addition, people who ate more foods that contained the antioxidants vitamins C and E, beta-carotene and zinc also had a reduced risk for cataracts. Other eye healthy foods which helped lower the risk for a range of eye problems including macular degeneration, glaucoma and age-related blindness, include leafy greens, eggs, bilberries, oily fish, nuts and seeds.

In terms of cardiovascular health, consumption of phytosterols found in vegetable oils, nuts, whole grains and legumes, were linked to a 9 percent drop in LDL cholesterol, while a diet rich in whole grains, vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds, leafy greens and low-fat dairy was associated with a 15 percent decrease in diabetes risk. Also on the diabetes front, a British study uncovered a relationship between high blood levels of vitamin C and a 62 percent lower risk of developing diabetes compared to those with the lowest vitamin C levels.

Fruits and vegetables have also been found to have a positive effect on bone health and cognition. Carotenoids, especially lycopene which is found in tomatoes, pink grapefruit, watermelon and guava, were associated with a decrease in bone loss in the spine in women. A Mediterranean diet focused on fruits, vegetables, legumes, fish and olive oil was linked to a 28 percent reduction in the risk for developing mild cognitive impairment. Of the people who began the study with mild impairment, those who followed the diet most closely had up to a 48 percent lower risk of progressing to more severe dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.

Your health advisor can help you start on the road to healthier eating

If you would like to find out how to make sure you and your family are eating enough of the right fruits and vegetables to protect your health, talk with your health advisor who can connect you with a top nutrition specialist.

“Even if you are not considering a meat-free diet, increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables you eat each day can have a positive impact on your overall well-being and your risk for developing chronic disease,” adds Dr. Scott.