Increased Fruit/Vegetable Consumption

Premature/Signs of Aging

If your typical meal is dominated by food that is white, brown and gray then what you are eating is probably making you old. Instead, think “color and crunch.” Eat meals that are dominated by juicy, crunchy foods rich in reds, oranges, purples and greens.

Alzheimer's Disease

News from the Telegraph U.K. says scientists have found that blueberries can increase your attention span in the short term and can maintain a healthy mind in the long term.

According to the report, they found that just one 200g blueberry smoothie was enough to increase powers of concentration by as much as 20 % over the day, and regular consumption of the fruit could lead to a rewiring of a part of the brain that is linked to memory.

The fruit, which is an anti-oxidant, has already been linked to lower heart disease and cancer rates as well as anti-aging. Antioxidants remove free radicals – chemicals that have the potential to cause damage to cells and tissues in the body.

Dr. Jeremy Spencer, a molecular nutritionist at the University of Reading who carried out the latest study, is quoted as saying he believes its affect on the mind has more to do with its ability to increase the blood flow to the brain, and that flavonoid rich foods, which also include chocolate, spinach and some fruit juices, can re-structure the brain and ward off memory loss associated with Alzheimer’s. [reported at the British Science Festival, Sept 2009]

Senile Dementia

News from the Telegraph U.K. says scientists have found that blueberries can increase your attention span in the short term and can maintain a healthy mind in the long term.

According to the report, they found that just one 200g blueberry smoothie was enough to increase powers of concentration by as much as 20 % over the day, and regular consumption of the fruit could lead to a rewiring of a part of the brain that is linked to memory.

The fruit, which is an anti-oxidant, has already been linked to lower heart disease and cancer rates as well as anti-aging. Antioxidants remove free radicals – chemicals that have the potential to cause damage to cells and tissues in the body.

Dr. Jeremy Spencer, a molecular nutritionist at the University of Reading who carried out the latest study, is quoted as saying he believes its affect on the mind has more to do with its ability to increase the blood flow to the brain, and that flavonoid rich foods, which also include chocolate, spinach and some fruit juices, can re-structure the brain and ward off memory loss associated with Alzheimer’s. [reported at the British Science Festival, Sept 2009]

Parkinson's Disease / Risk

Fruit is a good source of antioxidants.

Cataracts / Risk

People with low blood levels of antioxidants and those who eat few antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables have been reported to be at high risk for cataracts.

Some – but not all – studies have reported that eating more fruits and vegetables rich in beta-carotene was associated with a lower risk of cataracts. It remains unclear whether natural beta-carotene from food or supplements would protect the eye or whether beta-carotene in food is merely a marker for other protective factors in fruits and vegetables high in beta-carotene.

Allergic Rhinitis / Hay Fever

Fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, plenty of water and fresh juices are all recommended.

If you want to lower your child’s risk of having hay fever you should seriously consider giving him/her a Mediterranean diet, say researchers. Scientists found that children who followed a Mediterranean diet had a 30% lower risk of developing hay fever. It seems, say the researchers, that the diet is not only good for adults, but also for kids.

The researchers found that children who eat a normal Mediterranean diet were 30% less likely to develop hay fever, while those who also consumed very large quantities of fruit while on the Mediterranean diet were over 60% less likely to develop hay fever.

Previous studies have indicated that the Mediterranean diet may reduce your chances of developing diabetes type 2, hypertension (high blood pressure), heart disease and several cancers.

In this study the researchers looked at 690 schoolchildren in Crete, Greece – they were aged 1-18 years. Their parents filled in questionnaires about their kids eating habits and allergic conditions. All the children were tested for the ten most common allergy causes. About 30% of children have allergies, of which half should have symptoms. However, in Crete 30% did have allergies but virtually none of them exhibited symptoms, such as asthma, runny nose and itchy eyes. This anomaly is virtually unheard of, said Paul Cullinan, U.K. National Heart and Lung Institute, one of the authors of the study.

Nearly all the children in the study ate fresh tomatoes and several types of fruit at least weekly, while over half of them consumed them daily. Most of the children ate nuts regularly. [Protective effect of fruits, vegetables and the Mediterranean diet on asthma and allergies among children in Crete Published Online First: 5 April 2007. by BMJ Publishing Group Ltd & British Thoracic Society]

Crohn's Disease

In one trial, patients (rather than doctors) were asked which foods aggravated Crohn’s disease symptoms. Those without an ileostomy said that raw fruit and tomatoes were among the most problematic foods, though responses varied from person to person, and other reports have come up with different lists. People with Crohn’s disease wishing to identify and avoid potential problem foods should consult a doctor.

Increased Risk of Stroke

Consuming at least 3 servings per day of fruit and vegetables was associated with reduced risk of stroke and death from stroke, ischemic heart disease and cardiovascular disease in a study of over 9,000 adults, free of cardiovascular disease at the beginning of a 19 year study.[Am J Clin Nutr 2002;76(1): pp.93-99]

Hypertension

Fruit and vegetable consumption (minimum of five portions daily) was associated with modest reductions of systolic and diastolic blood pressures in a controlled study of 690 healthy people ages 25-64. [Lancet May 28, 2002]

Atherosclerosis

A diet high in fiber helps prevent coronary heart disease. Eating fruits high in the soluble fiber pectin has also been linked with reduced cholesterol levels, which protects against atherosclerosis.

Congestive Heart Failure

Whole fruit and fruit and vegetable juice, both high in potassium, are recommended by some doctors for congestive heart failure (CHF). This dietary change should, however, be discussed with a healthcare provider because several drugs given to people with CHF can actually cause retention of potassium, making dietary potassium, even from fruit, dangerous. Bananas are a rich source of potassium and need to be avoided in persons taking potassium-sparing diuretics.

Bruising Susceptibility

Many people eat insufficient amounts of foods containing vitamin C; the disease caused by vitamin C deficiency, scurvy, causes easy bruising. While very few people actually have scurvy, even minor deficiencies of vitamin C can increase bruising. Fruits are common dietary sources of vitamin C.

Low Fiber Intake

Excess Sugar Consumption

Fruit can often be used as a natural replacement for sugar, for example raisins or dates to sweeten baked goods, bananas on cereal, or pure fruit juice to replace soft drinks and thus avoid the refined sugars within.

Dehydration

Fruit / Vegetable Intake

Constipation

Raisins have a mild laxative effect. They soften the stool and speed transit time through the colon. Prunes are even more widely recognized for this effect.

Yeast / Candida

Based on their clinical experience and on very preliminary research, several doctors have suggested that a number of dietary factors may promote the overgrowth of Candida. Dried fruits, which are high in sugar, have been blamed for contributing to promotion of Candida overgrowth. Sugars avoidance is a standard recommendation on any anti-candidal diet.

Chronic Inflammation

Fruits and vegetable intake is important for reducing crp levels. It is thought that the fiber content helps to do this, though psyllium failed to do so in a study of overweight individuals without heart disease. [Annals of Family Medicine, March/April 2008]

Low Total Cholesterol

Elevated Total Cholesterol

Soluble fiber from fruit pectin has lowered cholesterol levels in most trials. Doctors often recommend that people with elevated cholesterol eat more foods high in soluble fiber.

Poor Memory

Animal study: One group of young rats were fed a diet supplemented with a 2% blueberry extract while another group was fed the same diet without the extract. Author’s conclusion: Blueberries contain a particular group of as-yet unidentified bioactive chemicals that reduce the functional consequences of brain damage, including a loss of the ability to learn or remember recent events.

Blood Type A

Metabolic Diet Type (Extreme Negative)

Hypoglycemia

Fruit contains several things that are of benefit, including a sugar (fructose) that does not cause wild glucose swings, trace minerals, and fiber which slows glucose absorption. However, some people find that fruits do make their glucose intolerance worse. Vegetables, especially low starch vegetables like tomatoes, green leafy vegetables, broccoli and carrots are low in carbohydrate and high in nutrients.

Metabolic Syndrome (Syndrome X)

Researchers at Scripps Clinic of San Diego divided a group of 100 obese subjects into three equal groups: one group ate

half a grapefruit before each meal, one group drank a glass of grapefruit juice before each meal, and one group was

instructed not to eat any grapefruit or drink any grapefruit juice. Subjects followed their regimens for three months,

while continuing to eat as they normally would.

The results were striking. Those in the group that ate grapefruit with each meal lost an average of 3.6 pounds. Subjects in the grapefruit juice group lost an average of 3.3 pounds. A few of the subjects in both of these groups lost nearly 10 pounds. Meanwhile, the average weight loss in the group that consumed no grapefruit was less than one pound.

Researchers believe that grapefruit contains chemical properties that assist in the management of insulin levels – a potential boon to dieters and diabetics alike. At the beginning and the completion of the Scripps study, researchers measured the insulin and glucose levels of all subjects. When the test was over, those in the two grapefruit groups had lower levels of insulin and glucose than they did at the beginning, while levels in the non-grapefruit group were unchanged.

Problem Caused By Being Overweight

Large amounts of fruit high in fructose should be avoided. Fructose induces insulin resistance, promoting weight gain. Reduced fruit and increased vegetable intake is advised.

Hyperkalemia (Elevated Serum Potassium)

Patients on potassium-restricted diets should avoid these foods, or eat them sparingly, as advised by their nutritionist / doctor.

HIGH potassium (more than 225 milligrams per 1/2 c. serving)

All meats, poultry and fish are high in potassium.

Apricots (fresh more so than canned)

Avocado

Banana

Cantaloupe

Honeydew

Kiwi

Lima beans

Milk

Oranges and orange juice

Potatoes (can be reduced to moderate by soaking peeled, sliced potatoes overnight before cooking)

Prunes

Spinach

Tomatoes

Vegetable juice

Winter squash

Persons restricting their potassium might be cautioned to include no more than one or two servings from this list per day, depending on their medical restrictions.

Moderate potassium (125 – 225 mg per serving)

Apple juice

Asparagus

Beets

Blackberries

Broccoli

Carrots

Cherries

Corn

Eggplant

Grapefruit

Green peas

Loose-leaf lettuce

Mushrooms, fresh

Onions

Peach

Pears

Pineapple

Raisins

Raspberries

Strawberries

Summer squash, including zucchini

Tangerines

Watermelon

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Please see the link between RA and Vegetarian Diet.

Gout / Hyperuricemia

Dark berries may contain chemicals that lower uric acid and reduce inflammation. Especially recommended are cherries. Liberal amounts (up to 1 pound per day) of cherries, blueberries, and other anthocyanoside-rich (i.e. red-blue) berries or extracts should be consumed. Consuming fresh or canned cherries has been shown to be very effective in lowering uric acid levels and preventing attacks of gout. Cherries, hawthorn berries, blueberries, and other dark red-blue berries are rich sources of anthocyanidins and proanthocyanidins. These compounds are flavonoid molecules that give these fruits their deep red-blue color, and are remarkable in their ability to prevent collagen destruction.

Hypokalemia / Potassium Need

Fruit and vegetables are a good natural source of potassium. The best sources are: all meats, poultry and fish. These, along with the following are all high in potassium. Fresh apricots, avocado, banana, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, kiwi, lima beans, milk, oranges and orange juice, potatoes, prunes, spinach, tomatoes, vegetable juice and winter squash .

Macular Degeneration

There is evidence that eating fresh fruits and dark green, leafy vegetables (such as spinach and collard greens) may delay or reduce the severity of age-related macular degeneration.

Diabetes Type II

Eating carbohydrate-containing foods, including some fruits, temporarily raises blood sugar and insulin levels. On the other hand, a diet rich in the soluble fiber found in fruit may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, despite the high carbohydrate content of most fruit.

High-fiber supplements, such as pectin from fruit, have been found to improve glucose tolerance in some studies. A review of the research revealed that the extent to which moderate amounts of fiber help people with diabetes in the long term is still unknown, and the lack of many long-term studies has led some researchers to question the importance of fiber in improving diabetes. Nonetheless, most doctors advise people with diabetes to eat a diet high in fiber. Focus should be placed on fruits, vegetables, seeds, oats and whole-grain products.

The diet plan to reverse diabetes and enable patients to eliminate their dependence on drugs is one derived from vegetables, fruits, grains, and legumes. The diabetic, who is even more sensitive to the harmful effects of the modern diet, should take care to consume a natural plant-based diet with an abundance of raw vegetables in the form of large salads every day.

Increased Risk of Diabetes ll

Eating carbohydrate-containing foods, including some fruits, temporarily raises blood sugar and insulin levels. On the other hand, a diet rich in the soluble fiber found in fruit may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, despite the high carbohydrate content of most fruit.

High-fiber supplements, such as pectin from fruit, have been found to improve glucose tolerance in some studies. A review of the research revealed that the extent to which moderate amounts of fiber help people with diabetes in the long term is still unknown, and the lack of many long-term studies has led some researchers to question the importance of fiber in improving diabetes. Nonetheless, most doctors advise people with diabetes to eat a diet high in fiber. Focus should be placed on fruits, vegetables, seeds, oats and whole-grain products.

The diet plan to reverse diabetes and enable patients to eliminate their dependence on drugs is one derived from vegetables, fruits, grains, and legumes. The diabetic, who is even more sensitive to the harmful effects of the modern diet, should take care to consume a natural plant-based diet with an abundance of raw vegetables in the form of large salads every day.

COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)

A diet high in antioxidants may protect against the free-radical-damaging effect of environmental toxins or cigarette smoke. Studies comparing different populations have shown that increasing fruit consumption appears to reduce the risk of developing chronic bronchitis.

Asthma

Vitamin C, present in fruits, is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. Its anti-inflammatory activity may decrease the incidence of asthma symptoms. A large preliminary study has shown that young children with asthma experience significantly less wheezing if they eat a diet high in fruits rich in vitamin C.

Dietary consumption of apples and selenium intake (assessed by food frequency questionnaire) were each associated with a reduced risk of asthma in a case-control study (607 cases and 864 controls) of adults aged 16-50 in England. [Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2001;164(10): pp.1823-1828]

Also see the link between Asthma and Soy regarding apples and pears.

If you want to lower your child’s risk of having hay fever you should seriously consider giving him/her a Mediterranean diet, say researchers. Scientists found that children who followed a Mediterranean diet had a 30% lower risk of developing hay fever. It seems, say the researchers, that the diet is not only good for adults, but also for kids.

The researchers found that children who eat a normal Mediterranean diet were 30% less likely to develop hay fever, while those who also consumed very large quantities of fruit while on the Mediterranean diet were over 60% less likely to develop hay fever.

Previous studies have indicated that the Mediterranean diet may reduce your chances of developing diabetes type 2, hypertension (high blood pressure), heart disease and several cancers.

In this study the researchers looked at 690 schoolchildren in Crete, Greece – they were aged 1-18 years. Their parents filled in questionnaires about their kids eating habits and allergic conditions. All the children were tested for the ten most common allergy causes. About 30% of children have allergies, of which half should have symptoms. However, in Crete 30% did have allergies but virtually none of them exhibited symptoms, such as asthma, runny nose and itchy eyes. This anomaly is virtually unheard of, said Paul Cullinan, U.K. National Heart and Lung Institute, one of the authors of the study.

Nearly all the children in the study ate fresh tomatoes and several types of fruit at least weekly, while over half of them consumed them daily. Most of the children ate nuts regularly. [Protective effect of fruits, vegetables and the Mediterranean diet on asthma and allergies among children in Crete Published Online First: 5 April 2007. by BMJ Publishing Group Ltd & British Thoracic Society]

Most teenagers in the United States and Canada don’t choose to eat fish and fruit nearly as often as they choose burgers and chips. Now, a study of more than 2,100 teens conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health and Health Canada has found that those who eat the least fruit and fish have the weakest lungs.

“Most of the adolescents in our study had dietary intakes of fruit, vegetables, vitamin E, and omega-3 fatty acids below recommended daily levels,” said Jane Burns, a researcher at the Harvard School of Public Health. Fish are high in healthful omega-3 fatty acids.

“Low intakes were associated with lower lung function and increased odds of asthma and chronic bronchitis,” said Burns. About 20 percent of people under 18 years old cough, wheeze and suffer from asthma and bronchitis. [Environment News Service, August 1, 2007]

Cancer / Risk - General Measures

Consumption of fruits is widely accepted as lowering the risk of most common cancers except prostate cancer. Many doctors recommend that people wishing to reduce their risk of cancer eat several pieces of fruit and several portions of vegetables every day. Optimal intakes remain unknown.

Traditionally, apple peels have been considered healthy because of their fiber content, as the peel contains about 75 percent of the dietary fiber in an apple. But a recent study has shown that the peel also contains most of the beneficial phytochemicals responsible for apples’ anticarcinogenic effects.

Scientists processed more than 200 pounds of Red Delicious apples, and extracted phytochemicals from about 24 pounds of peel. They screened the compounds for anti-cancer effects in laboratory cultures of human liver, breast, and colon cancer cells, and identified a group of compounds with potent anti-cancer properties.

Specifically, 13 triterpenoids from the peels of Red Delicious apples were identified and confirmed to be highly effective against cancer. Exactly how and why these biochemicals seek and destroy cancer cells is still unknown.

Apple consumption has previously been linked to a reduced risk of lung cancer, heart disease, and stroke. [Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, Vol. 55, No. 11, May 30, 2007: pp. 4366-4370]

Increased Risk of Alzheimer's / Dementia

News from the Telegraph U.K. says scientists have found that blueberries can increase your attention span in the short term and can maintain a healthy mind in the long term.

According to the report, they found that just one 200g blueberry smoothie was enough to increase powers of concentration by as much as 20 % over the day, and regular consumption of the fruit could lead to a rewiring of a part of the brain that is linked to memory.

The fruit, which is an anti-oxidant, has already been linked to lower heart disease and cancer rates as well as anti-aging. Antioxidants remove free radicals – chemicals that have the potential to cause damage to cells and tissues in the body.

Dr. Jeremy Spencer, a molecular nutritionist at the University of Reading who carried out the latest study, is quoted as saying he believes its affect on the mind has more to do with its ability to increase the blood flow to the brain, and that flavonoid rich foods, which also include chocolate, spinach and some fruit juices, can re-structure the brain and ward off memory loss associated with Alzheimer’s. [reported at the British Science Festival, Sept 2009]

Increased Risk of Coronary Disease / Heart Attack

A diet high in fruits appears protective against heart disease. The total number of deaths from cardiovascular disease was found to be significantly lower among men with high fruit consumption in one study. A large study of male healthcare professionals found that those men eating mostly a “prudent” diet (high in fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, fish, and poultry) had a 30% lower risk of heart attacks compared to men who ate the fewest foods in the “prudent” category. A parallel study of female healthcare professionals showed a 15% reduction in cardiovascular risk when they ate a diet high in fruits and vegetables compared to the effect of a low fruit and vegetable diet.

Consuming at least 3 servings per day of fruit and vegetables was associated with reduced risk of ischemic heart disease and cardiovascular disease in a study of over 9,000 adults, free of cardiovascular disease at the beginning of a 19 year long study.[Am J Clin Nutr 2002;76(1): pp.93-99]

Increased Risk of Colon Cancer

The fiber of choice for prevention of colorectal cancer seems to be psyllium, pectin or guar gum. The amount of pectin in approximately two servings of fruit rich in pectin such as pears, apples, grapefruit, and oranges is 15gm. Psyllium or guar gum are obtained by supplement. The RDA of total fiber is 20-30gm. In Scotland, where the average fiber intake is 2-3gm per day, there is a very high incidence of colon cancer.

For years, dietary fiber has been promoted by nutrition researchers and practitioners for colon cancer prevention. However, in two recent studies high-fiber diets did not decrease risks of colon cancer. The two studies are significant contributions to the literature, but they can not and do not close the discussion. If anything, they underscore the real need for further research and analysis.

Both studies, for example, involved only short-term (four-year) adjustments to the diet. One of them involved the use of wheat bran. Colon cancer is a disease that can take decades to develop. Convincing epidemiological evidence suggests that a healthy diet has its greatest preventive effect as a lifelong commitment, not a stopgap measure. While wheat bran does not appear to provide any protective benefit, a high fruit and vegetable diet may still provide benefit in preventing colorectal cancer.

Dr. Tim Byers, M.D., M.P.H. from the University of Colorado School of Medicine stated in the same issue of NEJM that “…observational studies around the world continue to find that the risk of colorectal cancer is lower among populations with high intakes of fruits and vegetables and that the risk changes on adoption of a different diet, but we still do not understand why.” [NEJM, January 22, 1999, NEJM 342: pp.1149-55, pp.1156-62, 2000.]

Eczema

Eczema can be triggered by allergies, and according to data from double-blind research most children with eczema have food allergies. However, classical food allergens are often not the cause of eczema in adults. A variety of substances have been shown, in a controlled trial, to trigger eczema reactions in susceptible individuals; avoidance of these substances, such as aromatic compounds found in fruits, has similarly been shown to improve eczema. These reactions do not represent true food allergies, but are instead a type of food sensitivity reaction. The authors of this study did not identify which substances are the most common triggers of the condition.

Breast Cancer

A meta-analysis of 12 separate studies comparing breast cancer risk to diet found that high consumption of fruit was associated with a 6% reduction of breast cancer compared to low consumption.

Possible Pregnancy-Related Issues

Women who eat vegetables such as potatoes and turnips while pregnant may increase their child’s risk of developing diabetes, according to a study on mice. Now, researchers have found that bafilomycin, a toxin found in some bacteria called streptomyces that infect vegetables such as potatoes, sugar beets, turnips and radishes, may be a trigger for type 1 diabetes in children who are genetically susceptible. The toxin, which cannot be destroyed through cooking, appeared to affect the development of the pancreas, which could cause type 1 diabetes in susceptible persons, according to researchers.

Finland, where potatoes are commonly eaten, and Sardinia, where people eat a lot of sugar beets, have the highest rates of diabetes in the world, researchers said. [The Australian June 9, 2003]

Eating apples while pregnant may give new meaning to an apple a day keeping the doctor away. Compelling new research has concluded that mothers who eat apples during pregnancy may protect their children from developing asthma later in life. The study was published in Thorax online April 2007.

This unique longitudinal study tracked dietary intake by nearly 2000 pregnant women, then examined the effects of the maternal diet on airway development in more than 1200 of their children five years later. Among a wide variety of foods consumed and recorded by the pregnant women, the researchers concluded that the children of mothers who ate apples had a significantly reduced risk for the development of asthma and childhood wheezing.

This study focuses on medical evaluations for asthma and related symptoms (i.e., wheezing) when the children were five years old. As a result of the evaluations cited in this research, other than apples, there were no consistent associations found between prenatal consumption of a range of healthful foods and asthma in the 1253 children who were evaluated.

Children of mothers who ate apples during pregnancy were much less likely to exhibit symptoms of asthma (including wheezing), say the researchers who hail from institutions in The Netherlands and Scotland. These same researchers previously reported positive associations between maternal consumption of vitamins A, E, D and zinc with reduced risk of asthma, wheeze and eczema in children.

The only other positive association found between prenatal food intake and risk reduction in the children was with fish, for which the researchers found that children of mothers who ate fish had a lowered incidence of doctor-confirmed eczema.