As families gather to enjoy the spring holidays, remember to include lots of healthy and safe fruits and vegetables.  Not only are they delicious, but decades of nutrition studies show a diet rich in fruits and vegetables prevents numerous diseases, improves cognition and immune function and leads to a longer life.  Here are just a few examples:

• One study found that if just half of all Americans increased their consumption of fruits and vegetables by a single serving a day, 20,000 cancer cases could be prevented.
• A Tufts University study found that “prescriptions” for fruits and veggies would prevent 1.93 million cardiovascular events (such as heart attacks) and 350,000 deaths, as well as cut healthcare costs by $40 billion.
• A study published in PLOS Medicine examined the impact of a diet which was heavy on fruits, vegetables, beans and grains. According to the models, a 20-year-old who went all-in on the plant-based diet could add 10 years to their life. Even just making a partial change could add six years of life expectancy. And, an 80-year-old who started a plant-based diet could add three years to their life.
• A study from Harvard, one of the largest such analyses to date, found that flavonoids, the chemicals that give plant foods their bright colors, may help curb the frustrating forgetfulness and mild confusion that older people often complain about with advancing age and that sometimes can precede a diagnosis of dementia.

It should be noted that the Harvard study authors also reiterated the importance of increasing accessibility of produce. “If we can make a world in which everyone has access to fresh fruits and vegetables, that should help improve many health issues and lengthen life span.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) only one in 10 of us eat enough of these nutrient-dense foods each day.  Among the recommendations from the CDC: “Continued efforts to increase fruit and vegetable consumption by improving access and affordability in diverse community and institutional settings will help mitigate health disparities among U.S. residents.”

This is why the Alliance for Food and Farming strongly supports choices in the produce aisle.  We encourage consumers to choose the produce they enjoy and is affordable and accessible for themselves and their families.  Organic and conventional fruits and vegetables are safe and can be eaten with confidence.

Read, learn, choose but eat more fruits and vegetables this spring for better health and a longer life.