Five Servings of Fruit and Veg a Day Linked to 13% Lower Risk of Death

Eating five servings of fruit and vegetables a day is linked to a 13% lower risk of death from any cause, compared with eating just two, according to a huge new study. The ideal mix is two servings of fruit and three of vegetables.

Researchers at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital followed 66,719 women and 42,016 men for up to 30 years, then combined their results with 24 other cohort studies covering 1.9 million people worldwide. The study is published today in Circulation, the American Heart Association journal.

Compared with two servings a day, five were linked to a 12% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, 10% lower risk of dying from cancer and a striking 35% lower risk of dying from respiratory disease. Eating more than five was not linked to any further drop in risk. Leafy greens, citrus fruits, berries and carrots showed benefits, while starchy vegetables such as peas and corn, fruit juice and potatoes did not.

This amount likely offers the most benefit in terms of prevention of major chronic disease and is a relatively achievable intake for the general public.

That is lead author Dr. Dong Wang, speaking in the American Heart Association release. The study is observational, so it shows a link rather than proof.

It joins earlier findings that eating more fiber is linked to a 15-30% lower risk of death and that too little fruit and whole grain is among the top diet risks worldwide.

Two pieces of fruit and three handfuls of veg: an easy target with a big pay-off.