The exact amount of fruits and vegetables you should eat every day to live longer

It is clear that, if you want to live longer, you should bet on a diet rich in fiber and vitamins that allows you to obtain enough antioxidants so that time does not pass for you. On the contrary, if you lead a sedentary life and frequently eat foods rich in saturated fat and sugar. According to the World Health Organization, the recommended daily amount of fruits and vegetables should exceed 400 grams, but how much is that really?

A new study from the prestigious American Hearth Association (AHA) has discovered the specific amount of fruits and vegetables you should consume for a longer life. Published in the journal 'Circulation', the research was very comprehensive by including a sample of 2 million people worldwide. The result? Five pieces, two of fruits and three of vegetables to be even more exact. "They help reduce the risk of suffering from numerous chronic diseases that are the main causes of death, such as cardiovascular disease or cancer," the researchers added in a statement.

"The amount of five pieces a day offers the greatest benefit in terms of preventing severe chronic diseases"

To reach this conclusion, the researchers analyzed data from two large studies on diets that followed more than 10,000 adults over three decades. Each of these reports "contained dietary information in detail and collected repeatedly every two to four years," the authors explained to 'The New York Post'. Once they collected all this information, they completed it with another investigation on the intake of fruits and vegetables and its relationship with the premature death of un total of 26 studies different that, among all, brought together more than 2 million participants from 29 different countries.

Win in health and in years

With the help of the latest technology, the data showed that it was enough to consume five servings of fruits and vegetables a day to enjoy a longer life. On the other hand, eat more than five "was not associated with additional benefits", so you don't have to inflate yourself on this type of food to feel healthier." Those who ate five pieces a day had a 13% lower risk of dying, in general, as well as a 12% lower probability of dying from cardiovascular disease, 10% less from cancer and up to 35% more chances of dying from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, better known by the acronym COPD.

"Not all fruits and vegetables offer the same degree of benefit"

Not all fruits and vegetables have the same properties, hence the researchers reiterated that green leafy ones such as spinach, lettuce or kale, they were the best to combat the risk of premature death. Second wasn those "rich in beta-carotene and vitamin C, such as citrus fruits, berries or carrots, "the authors assured. Meanwhile," those that contain starch, such as peas or corn, as well as juices or potatoes, were not associated with a decrease in the risk of death for all specific chronic diseases or causes ".

"The amount of five pieces a day offers the greatest benefit in terms of prevention of severe chronic diseases, and a relatively achievable intake for everyone in general," he stressed. Dong D. Wang, an epidemiologist and nutritionist, one of the study authors and a member of the Harvard Medical School faculty. "We also found that not all fruits and vegetables offer the same degree of benefit, although current dietary recommendations generally address all types."

For all this, another scientific proof that corroborates the importance of including a good proportion of fruits and vegetables in your daily intake. Obviously, you do not have to eat them all at the same time or agglutinate them in a single moment of the day, but you can combine it in such a way that you consume one for breakfast, another at noon, another for dessert, one perhaps for a snack and a last one for after dinner. In your hands is the duty to aspire to a healthier life with a higher level of well-being.