I grew up eating fruits and vegetables pretty regularly and learned at an early age my love for growing them. My Grandparents and parents fostered this love of gardening. A cherry tomato picked right off the vine and popped in your mouth is so rewarding and delicious. So, it was rather shocking to me when I read the statistic reported by Wallace et al, that only 15% of Americans meet the recommended daily fruit and vegetable intake. The USDA recommendation for an adult with a 2,000 calorie diet is to include 2 cups of fruits and 2.5 cups of vegetables a day². There are many reasons for this shortcoming, some are taste, convenience and most unfortunately, cost. Many resources have pointed to the decreased intake of fruit and vegetables as one reason for the rise in obesity, diabetes and cancer.

What is it about these plants that are so important? They have vitamins, fiber and bioactive compounds. Remember the catechins in Green tea? That is a bioactive compound. So are phytochemicals and flavonoids. Wallace et al reports there are over 5,000 bioactive compounds found in fruits and vegetables with a large number of them having significant supportive evidence regarding their health benefits to humans. For example, flavonoids have been shown to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.³ But there is a lot more to it than decreasing inflammation and oxidative stress. Many of these compounds also create a positive immune response such as activating Natural Killer cells. Their name speaks the truth, they are immune cells which are constantly in search of bacteria, viruses and cancer cells and when they find them they kill them.⁴ For these reasons and many others, intake of fruits and vegetables are considered important for cancer prevention and treatment.^1,4,5 Additionally, there is also good evidence behind the prevention of cardiovascular disease and diabetes by regularly consuming fruits and vegetables. It really is a win for everyone.

How much is enough? If your goal is to be healthier and prevent disease and you aren’t meeting the USDA recommendation, try to meet it. If you have been diagnosed with cancer and aren’t undergoing radiation, increase your vegetable and fruit intake up to 10 servings a day with the majority being vegetables.⁵ Focus on including cruciferous vegetables (kale, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, etc.) everyday and combining multiple different vegetables in each meal. According to Blaylock, there is a synergistic effect when combining several different vegetables. Not only do you receive a vast array of biochemicals with variety of plants on your plate, but when they act together the effect they have is magnified significantly.

When on radiation, many physicians do not want increased antioxidants. Ask your physician if they are concerned with antioxidants from foods, it may just be from supplements. If so, probe regarding vegetable intake and focus on meeting the limit they give you. Once radiation is over, increase back to 10 servings a day. These plants will enhance the effects of chemo and have been shown to decrease the side-effects associated with taking chemo.⁵

Everyone can benefit from incorporating these powerful plants into every meal. Start small by increasing your daily intake and adding something green and bright colored to your lunch plate.

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References:
1. Wallace TC, Bailey RL, Blumberg JB, Burton-Freeman B, Chen CO, Crowe-White KM, Drewnowski A, Hooshmand S, Johnson E, Lewis R, Murray R, Shapses SA, Wang DD. Fruits, vegetables, and health: A comprehensive narrative, umbrella review of the science and recommendations for enhanced public policy to improve intake. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition 60(13): 2174-2211, 2020.
2. As accessed on 6/2/2021. https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2019/june/americans-still-can-meet-fruit-and-vegetable-dietary-guidelines-for-210-260-per-day/
3. Hosseini B, Berthon BS, Saedisomeolia A, Starkey MR, Collison A, Wark PAB, Wood LG. Effects of fruit and vegetable consumption on inflammatory biomarkers and immune cell populations: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr 108:136-155, 2018.
4.  Servan-Schreiber D. Anti Cancer a New Way of Life. Penguin Books, 2009
5. Blaylock RL. Natural Strategies for Cancer Patients. Citadel Press Books, 2019.