It is not shocking to hear that you should eat lots of fruits and vegetables, but a new study is looking at exactly how many you need each to live longer.
The study, which was published in the journal Circulation, analyzed data from 66,719 women in the Nurses’ Health Study and 42,016 men in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study and compared them with information on fruit and vegetable consumption and death from 26 studies. After analyzing the data, the researchers found that eating five servings of fruits and vegetables a day was related to a longer life expectancy.
When compared to people who take only two servings of fruits and vegetables a day, those who take five servings a day have a 13 percent lower risk of death from any cause, a 12 percent lower risk of death from heart disease, a higher risk 10 percent lower risk of death from cancer and a 35 percent lower risk of death from respiratory diseases.
The researchers were even more specific with the recommendations, noting that the ideal is to eat three servings of vegetables and two servings of fruits a day. Based on your findings, however, eating more than five servings of fruits and vegetables a day will not make you live longer.
Not all fruits and vegetables are created equal, based on the findings. The researchers found that starchy vegetables such as peas, corn and potatoes were not related to a longer shelf life. Fruit juice also doesn’t count, according to the study.
Spinach, lettuce, cabbage and carrots are considered good options for vegetables, while red fruits and citrus fruits scored high in the fruit department.
Fruit and potato juice was specifically mentioned in the conclusion, with the researchers writing: “These findings support current dietary recommendations for increasing fruit and vegetable intake, but not fruit and potato juice.”
The American Heart Association currently recommends eating four servings of fruit a day and five servings of vegetables a day. One serving can include a medium piece of fruit, 1/2 cup of fresh or frozen fruit or vegetables and a cup of raw leafy vegetables.
Scott Keatley, a registered dietitian at Keatley MNT, told Yahoo Life that he is “not surprised” by the findings, as they largely support current recommendations. It does include some caveats, however. “This data depends on people telling researchers accurate and true information – which sometimes people don’t,” he says. “Also, remember that, at the beginning, people who ate more vegetables tended to exercise more, drink less alcohol and not smoke. These are huge factors. “
Rena Zelig, a registered nutritionist and director of the Masters of Science in Clinical Nutrition program at Rutgers University, told Yahoo Life that the study’s findings are “very consistent” with the advice that most nutritionists currently give. “Fruits and vegetables are very good for you. They are full of vitamins, minerals and fiber and therefore have many health benefits, ”says Zelig.
So why are the recommendations more directed at vegetables than at fruits? Much of it comes down to calories, says Keatley. “One of the biggest indicators of the development of a chronic health condition is excess visceral fat,” he explains. “Fruit, in general, has more calories than vegetables, and over time, having more vegetables will allow you to indulge in fewer calories.”
“Vegetables also tend to be denser in nutrients than fruits – more nutrients, less calories – and are especially rich in nutrients that many people lose, such as folate, iron, magnesium, calcium and potassium,” Mary Cochran, a nutritionist registered with Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center, told Yahoo Life. “It would make sense that if people eat more vegetables, they will get a higher concentration of these important nutrients, which can lead to better health outcomes.”
Vegetables also “tend to have more fiber and less sugar” than fruits, nutritionist Sonya Angelone, a spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, told Yahoo Life. “They also tend to have certain compounds that promote health,” she says. “In addition, fiber feeds the good intestinal bacteria that produce more compounds to improve health and reduce the risk of disease.”
But why were potatoes, peas and corn called? This is also not shocking for nutrition experts. “Potatoes, peas and corn are known to be the most starchy vegetables,” says Zelig. These vegetables also have more calories than their equivalents, says Keatley. “They can all be part of a healthy diet, but, comparing, say, spinach, which has seven calories per cup, with peas, which have 118 … there is no competition,” he says. “Keeping your calories in line with what is needed for your body and workload is the # 1 thing you can do to maintain your health in the long run.”
To get more fruits and vegetables in your diet, Zelig recommends building your dishes around them. “I love telling my patients to create their meal around a salad,” she says. “You can be so creative with this and you can add your protein – chicken, meat, fish, beans, nuts and cheese – and even carbohydrates in the form of whole grains, while turning vegetables into stars.”
As cleaning and preparing products can be a chore, Angelone suggests buying pre-chopped items when you can, like broccoli florets. You can also try putting vegetables like spinach or kale in soups and sauces to increase your intake, she says. “Small changes are easier to maintain than more drastic changes,” she says.
Keeping products out and visible is also important. “If you have a bowl of fruits and vegetables with things you can chew when you’re hungry, you’re much less likely to go to the cupboard and get a super-processed snack,” says Keatley. You can even reshape your appetizers and desserts to center them on fruits and vegetables. Keatley suggests getting into the habit of eating a crudite or vegetable dish as an appetizer and fruit with your dessert.
As a whole, Zelig says that most people can see a big change when they incorporate more fruits and vegetables into their diet. “Fruits and vegetables generally have less calories and more nutrients than other foods,” she says. “Using more of them can change the whole profile of your diet for the better.”
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