Wellbeing

5, the magic number for fruits and vegetables

We often hear that 5 portions of fruits and vegetables a day is the right size. Let´s see why

Compared with people who said they ate just two servings of fruits or vegetables each day, people who ate five servings per day had

a 13% lower risk of death from any cause
a 12% lower risk of death from heart disease or stroke
a 10% lower risk of death from cancer
a 35% lower risk of death from respiratory disease, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The research that shows us this conclusion was published last year by the journal Circulation, which pooled self-reported health and diet information from about two million people who were followed up for 30 years.

One of the questions is which is the best combination of fruits and vegetables. And the answer is two servings of fruits plus three servings of vegetables a day. The best choice is to eat leafy green vegetables and fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C and beta carotene because they are a great source of antioxidants.

You don´t have to feel bad if one day you can reach the 5 servings goal. The next day you can eat more pieces of fruits and vegetables so the average during the week is fine.

When you eat fruits and vegetables you:

Have the best source of vitamins and minerals . Vitamins A, C, and E and magnesium, zinc, phosphorous and folic acid.
Eat food which is low fat and low calory.
Have a lot of fiber.
Protect your body against several diseases.
Low in sodium and cholesterol.
Have fun eating colors and textures and improve converting them into ice creams, smoothies, salads, brochettes, and what your imagination can do.

 

Sources: Harvard Health Publishing and Orlando Health

 

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