Many health organizations recommend eating five servings of fruits and vegetables daily. But why five?
According to one analysis, people who consumed five servings of fruit and vegetables daily experienced a 13% lower risk of death from all causes over the 30-year study compared with people who ate two servings a day.
Other research highlights the benefits of reaching a five-a-day goal by choosing a variety of bright-colored plant foods. One study found that people who consumed more than 30 different plant foods a week had greater gut microbiome diversity — a predictor of improved health — than did people who consumed fewer than 10. This finding included all plant foods — beans, nuts, seeds, coffee, tea, whole grains, herbs and spices — as well as fruits and vegetables.
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