Eating 10-a-day of fruit and veg could help us live longer

Are you eating enough fruit and veg?

New research suggests that eating ten pieces of fruit and veg a day will help us live longer.

The study, found by Imperial College London said these new eating habits could save 7.8m premature deaths each year.

As well this it found that specific fruit and veg could help reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease.

Just small amounts could help with a person’s health but more is better.

One portion of fruit or veg amounts to 80g, this is the equivalent of a small banana, a pear or three heaped tablespoons of spinach or peas.

The conclusions came from pooling data of 95 different studies, it looked at two million people’s eating habits.

Dr Dagfinn Aune, one of the researchers, said: “Fruit and vegetables have been shown to reduce cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and to boost the health of our blood vessels and immune system.”

“This may be due to the complex network of nutrients they hold.”

“For instance, they contain many antioxidants, which may reduce DNA damage and lead to a reduction in cancer risk.”