New York, March 1: If you are scouting for a magic potion tolive a longer and healthy life, try five daily servings of fruits andvegetables, in which two are fruits and three are vegetables, according to newresearch that combed through studies representing nearly 2 million adultsglobally.
Compared to those who consumed two servings of fruit andvegetables per day, participants who consumed five servings a day of fruits andvegetable had a 13 per cent lower risk of death from all causes; a 12 per centlower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, including heart disease andstroke; a 10 per cent lower risk of death from cancer; and a 35 per cent lowerrisk of death from respiratory disease, such as chronic obstructive pulmonarydisease (COPD).
The study identifies an optimal intake level of fruits andvegetables and supports the evidence-based, succinct public health message of'5-a-day,' meaning people should ideally consume five servings of fruit andvegetable each day.
"While groups like the American Heart Associationrecommend four to five servings each of fruits and vegetables daily, consumerslikely get inconsistent messages about what defines optimal daily intake offruits and vegetables such as the recommended amount, and which foods toinclude and avoid," said lead study author Dong D Wang, a member of themedical faculty at Harvard Medical School.
Wang and colleagues analysed data from two studies includingmore than 100,000 adults who were followed for up to 30 years.
For this analysis, researchers also pooled data on fruit andvegetable intake and death from 26 studies that included about 1.9 millionparticipants from 29 countries and territories in North and South America,Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.
Analysis of all studies revealed that intake of about fiveservings of fruits and vegetables daily was associated with the lowest risk ofdeath.
"Eating more than five servings was not associated withadditional benefit. Eating about two servings daily of fruits and threeservings daily of vegetables was associated with the greatest longevity,"said the study that appeared in American Heart Association's flagship journalCirculation.
Not all foods that one might consider to be fruits andvegetables offered the same benefits.
For example: Starchy vegetables, such as peas and corn, fruitjuices and potatoes were not associated with reduced risk of death from allcauses or specific chronic diseases.
On the other hand, green leafy vegetables, includingspinach, lettuce and kale, and fruit and vegetables rich in beta carotene andvitamin C, such as citrus fruits, berries and carrots, showed benefits.
"Our analysis in the two cohorts of US men and womenyielded results similar to those from 26 cohorts around the world, whichsupports the biological plausibility of our findings and suggests thesefindings can be applied to broader populations," Wang said.
Thus, follow '5-a-day' rule for longer, healthier life.