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A new study supports long-term dietary guidelines, which say eating five daily servings of a variety of fruits and vegetables, from apples to zucchini, can help you live longer, healthier lives. But if a person thinks about eating fruit juice or French fries between these portions, it negatively affects their diet, according to the Washington Post.
13% less risk
“People who eat five servings of vegetables and fruits per day have a 13% lower risk of dying from any cause than people who eat only two servings of fruits and vegetables per day,” says Dong Wang, Harvard Medical School faculty member.
Expressive
The study found that people who ate five servings a day – especially two servings of fruits and three vegetables – had a 12% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, a 10% risk of cancer, and a risk of cancer. respiratory disease by 35%. Who ate only two meals a day. A “serving” is a measure of half a cup of vegetables or fruit, or a full cup of vegetable salad. A person receives the same beneficial vitamins, minerals, and fiber in both, but vegetables contain slightly fewer calories and sugar, which is why guidelines generally recommend slightly higher levels of vegetable consumption.
One serving is not enough
Based on the results of the study, Wang encourages everyone to reconsider the components of their regular diet and to make improvements if necessary. On average, people currently only eat a serving of fruit and a serving and a half of vegetables per day, far less than recommended.
“It is very important to increase your intake of fruits and vegetables to at least five servings per day in order to enjoy a longer and healthier life,” says Wang.
The results, published in the journal Circulation, included two long-term studies involving a group of more than 100,000 American men and women who were followed for up to 30 years. These two studies were then added to 24 other cohort studies from around the world to conduct a large meta-analysis (a group of several smaller studies, which were pooled to identify general trends) of over 1.8 million people. participants.
Collectively, the studies have shown a strong relationship between fruit and vegetable consumption and a lower risk of all-cause mortality, but the studies have not shown a cause and effect.
Expressive
More than 5 per day
Interestingly, Wang’s research showed that eating more than five servings of fruits and vegetables per day was not associated with more positive results – the risk reduction was stabilized at five servings per day. But there’s no harm in getting more than five servings a day.
Wang’s study looked specifically at mortality, but there are other reasons to eat more vegetables and fruits, including disease prevention.
Dr. Karen Collins, a registered dietitian and nutrition consultant at the American Institute for Cancer Research, says eating more than five servings per day is associated with a lower risk of cancer. The Diet Guidelines for Americans recommend 2.5 cups of vegetables and 2 cups of fruit per day for general health, which works out to about nine servings per day.
“ The minimum makes the difference ”
Since the vast majority don’t reach an average of nine servings per day, it might be good to know that Wang’s study found that only five servings per day would have beneficial effects in preventing disease-causing deaths, and it seems like a daily life. achievable number.
Dr Collins says: It is important to raise awareness around the world and to stress that “every step forward on diets that contain minimal vegetables and fruit makes a difference”.
This is the keyword for better health
Types to eat
Variety is the keyword, as fruits and vegetables all contain different beneficial nutrients and antioxidants. Wang’s study showed that almost all fruits and vegetables, including leafy greens, citrus fruits and berries, were associated with lower mortality, but there were a few exceptions.
Neither fruit juices nor starches containing peas, corn and potatoes were associated with a reduced risk of death or chronic disease. The reason behind this could be because it leads to high blood sugar unlike other fruits and vegetables.
For greater clarity, the study results did not determine any harm or increased risk of death from the consumption of fruit or pea and potato juices, but instead showed no benefit in reducing the total number of deaths, and at least they can be considered neutral meals.
Starchy foods
The study results do not support the recommendations of the recently updated dietary guidelines for Americans, for example, which treat all fruits and vegetables the same. The guidelines even count fruit juices as one serving of fruit and recommend up to five cups of starchy foods per week.
Dr Collins says potatoes are eaten in very large quantities, and the worst part is that they are eaten in the form of French fries or potato chips, which are high in salt and fat, noting that he do not fail to eat potatoes, but they can be eaten grilled or boiled instead of fried crisps.
The best choices
Many wonder if the canned and frozen options are nutritious, and whether it is better to buy organic products rather than traditional products, and the answer emerges from the results of the scientific study that the five daily rations can be obtained from of a variety of fresh and frozen products. or canned fruits and vegetables, whether traditional or organic.
Some studies show that freezing and canning preserve nutrients, making these options often more nutrient-dense than their fresh counterparts. For example, the results of a study found that frozen kale contains more antioxidants than fresh cabbage. Another study showed that the levels of vitamin C in canned peaches are four times higher than in fresh peaches.
Dietitian Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, President and CEO of the Produce for Better Health Foundation, a national non-profit organization that promotes fruits and vegetables, says, “We know from research and experience that more the fewer options are, the smaller the chances of overconsumption. Traditional and organic vegetables are both healthy and nutritious options.
Sugar in fruit
And on whether the sugar content of the fruit is of concern, the study shows that it is okay to eat two servings of fruit a day, and the results indicate that the sugar the body draws from. of fruit does not represent a health concern when consumed at recommended levels. The study shows that the danger lies in sweets and sugary drinks as they represent about 57% of calories.
Wang adds that it is necessary to take into account the nutritional properties of a whole food, rather than a single food. In addition to sugar, Wang explains that fruits contain fiber, vitamins A and C, potassium, polyphenols, and folate, which are important nutrients for overall health.
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