High 5 – or rather make that high 10 for healthy ageing!

And just in case there are any reservations about embracing the ten daily fruit and vegetable challenge, even more reason to join in … a longer life. Quite an incentive!

A staggering 7.8 million deaths may have been prevented worldwide from eating a life-lengthening 10 serves of fruit or vegetables per day. When over two million people were examined in a recent meta-analysis, it was found that while disease risk is lowered by eating the recommended five serves (400 g) of fruits and vegetables daily, greater benefits came with higher daily intake (800 g). This translates to an epic 31% reduction in premature death and reduced risk of stroke (33%), cardiovascular disease (28%), and cancer (14%).

With the CSIRO’s recent report that approximately four out of five Australians are not meeting the recommended two fruits and five vegetables a day, it is most definitely time to fill our plates with an abundance of our colourful friends from the plant kingdom.