The world of nutrition is full of controversy about what’s good and what’s not good for us, but there’s one thing everyone can agree on: We should all eat more. fruit and vegetables, he writes eatbene.com.
The researchers concluded that 400 grams of fruits and vegetables each day help prevent chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, stroke and dementia. They translated it into five servings a day, which has become the prevailing public health message for decades. Today the message has been simplified even further by filling half the plate with fruit or vegetables. However, only about 10% of Americans do this every day.
But because the message of filling half a plate with these foods was not clearly perceived by the population, scientists came up with new advice on eating 5 servings a day. US guidelines recommend glasses instead of portions. For most of us, that means 2 cups of fruit and 3 cups of vegetables.
What Happens to Our Body When We Eat Enough Fruits and Vegetables? Here’s what science says we can expect if we hit the magic number of five servings a day.
Lower risk of heart disease
The clearest evidence of the benefits of fruits and vegetables relates to the prevention of cardiovascular disease. A study in the International Journal of Epidemiology shows that people who ate about six servings of fruit and vegetables a day had a 16% lower risk of dying from coronary heart disease than those who ate less.
One reason is that the soluble fiber in these foods helps block the reabsorption of cholesterol from the gut and lower cholesterol levels in the blood, explains study co-author Edward Giovannucci, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard. Sources of soluble fiber include apples, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, pears, oranges, peas, and grapefruits. Fiber slows the absorption of glucose, a bonus for the heart and blood sugar.
“When sugars are rapidly absorbed in the gut, blood sugar rises, leading to a rapid advancement of insulin. Over time, high levels of insulin and glucose can contribute to diabetes and can also damage blood vessels, leading to heart disease.” explains Giovannucci.
The heart benefits aren’t just about fiber. Peppers, citrus fruits, kiwis, broccoli, strawberries contain vitamin C, an antioxidant that controls inflammation of the arteries. Vitamin C also stimulates the production of nitric oxide, a gas that relaxes the arteries and promotes better blood flow. It is so helpful that research shows that people who eat a diet rich in vitamin C may have a 21% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.
Stroke prevention
The WHO estimates that 7.5 servings of fruit and vegetables per day could reduce the risk of stroke by 10% to 19%. This is partly due to potassium, which lowers blood pressure. And high blood pressure is a major risk factor for stroke.
But isn’t hypertension a matter of sodium? In fact, this is only part of the truth. When we eat pickles, sodium draws water into the cells, increasing the pressure in the blood vessels. On the other hand, potassium draws water from the cells, lowering blood pressure. Interestingly, studies show that people who have both very high potassium intake and very high sodium intake do not have hypertension problems because these electrolytes are in balance. Since fruits and vegetables like potatoes, bananas, and avocados help provide potassium and are naturally low in sodium, they help prevent stroke.
Brain health
Whether the goal is emotional well-being now or preventing dementia later, colored products can be a useful ally. A 2020 systematic nutrient review found that five or more daily servings of fruits and vegetables are linked to better mental health, reducing the risk of depression. Citrus fruits, bananas, berries, apples, kiwis, cucumbers, carrots, lettuce, tomatoes, spinach provided the greatest benefits for supporting brain health. They are rich in B and C vitamins, carotenoids, polyphenols and fiber-rich carbohydrates linked to better brain function.
When it comes to long-term brain health, flavonoids can help. We can get them from oranges, berries, apples, pears, peppers and celery. This family of plant compounds is thought to protect against memory loss and dementia by increasing blood flow to the brain, suppressing inflammation, and protecting brain cells from the harmful beta-amyloid plaques that develop in Alzheimer’s disease. For example, a 2021 neurology study reported that adults who consumed more flavonoids had a 19% lower risk of experiencing the early stages of age-related memory loss than those who consumed fewer flavonoids. The flavonoids in oranges can reduce brain age by 3-4 years.
Protection against certain types of cancer
Research shows that 1 in 5 cancers are associated with an unhealthy diet and lifestyle that includes low consumption of fruits and vegetables.
“Very large epidemiological studies, in which people provide detailed information on everything they eat and drink, have shown that the development rates of some cancers are lower in people who eat a diet rich in fruit and vegetables,” says Anne McTiernan , professor of epidemiology at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
Why only certain types of cancer?
“Some cancers are so rare that they don’t occur enough to be studied. Or they can be so strongly associated with another cause that it’s hard to see the effects of fruits and vegetables, such as cervical cancer and HPV,” he explains. McTiernan.
The strongest evidence, according to the National Cancer Institute of the United States, is for cancers of the mouth, esophagus, stomach, colon, breast and lung. 6.5 cups of fruit and vegetables per day are recommended. Orange, dark green, and cruciferous vegetables are also recommended for their carotenoids and glucosinolates, phytochemicals that protect cells from carcinogens and protect against DNA damage.
These colorful vegetables are a powerful weapon against breast cancer. In a recent study, women who ate four weekly servings of yellow-orange and cruciferous vegetables, especially winter squash, broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower, were 17% less likely to develop breast cancer than those who ate. these vegetables only twice a week. .
Influence on body weight
Unwanted weight is related not only to what we eat, but also to what we don’t eat. In one study, participants who reported eating 9 servings of fruit and vegetables a day were 74 percent less likely to gain weight in a decade than those who ate half. The secret ingredient? The amount of fruit and vegetables that come from the water. As aromatic as the product is, it contains about 90% water.
“Water provides a lot of volume and weight, but not calories,” says Barbara Rolls, director of the Laboratory for the Study of Human Behavior at Penn State University, which was not affiliated with the study. “This allows us to eat larger and more satisfying portions with relatively few calories.”
However, it’s not just about water. As anyone who has eaten a salad can testify, high-fiber fruits and vegetables take time to digest, especially when raw. The fibers slow down the time it takes for the stomach to empty, giving the brain more time to process the feeling of fullness. Perhaps this is why research shows that non-starchy fruits and vegetables can be effective in a low-calorie diet.
A longer life
No pill can come close to the cocktail of vitamins, minerals, fiber and over 5,000 bioactive compounds provided by fruits and vegetables. No wonder it could help us live longer, says a recent study that tracked the eating habits of 108,735 people over three decades. Those who ate two servings of fruit and three servings of non-starchy vegetables daily enjoyed the greatest longevity, reducing the chances of premature death from cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory disease by 13%, compared to people who ate only two servings a day.
Conclusion
Today, most of us don’t follow the advice to eat fruits and vegetables, but there are some compelling reasons to increase our intake. Whether we are adding them to the foods we already eat, switching to canned or frozen foods, or adding salad or fruit to our meals, we should aim to eat more than five servings of fruit and vegetables every day.
