After examining 95 studies on the ideal amount of recommended daily fruits and vegetables, a group of scientists at Imperial College London concluded that much more than five units a day should be consumed to reduce the likelihood of heart attack, cancer, and premature death.
Although the recommended daily amount is five pieces, the idea is to consume 800 grams per day, which represents nothing more or nothing less than 10 pieces of fruit or vegetables, each having an average weight of 80 grams, according to study.
In publishing their findings in the International Journal of Epidemiology, researchers reported that if that amount were consumed, nearly 8 million premature deaths could be averted worldwide each year.
"We wanted to investigate how much fruit and vegetables we need to consume in order to get the most protection against disease and premature death," said Dagfinn Aune, lead researcher.
Which are the best? Apples and pears, citrus fruits, spinach, lettuce, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower help prevent heart attacks, cardiovascular disease, and premature death. For their part, green apples, spinach or green beans, as well as peppers and carrots, help reduce the risk of cancer.
"Our results suggest that although five pieces of fruit or vegetable a day is not bad, 10 a day is a whole lot better," added Aune.
The "magic" of fruits and vegetables is that they constitute a good mechanism to "reduce bad cholesterol levels and in turn, increase the strength of blood vessels and immunize the system," said the expert. "This is due to the complex network of nutrients they contain," he said.
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