Photo Credit: Julie Rybarczyk

A new study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology shows that eating fruit and vegetables can reduce the risk of death. The study looked at 451,151 participants from ten European countries, following them for over ten years. Researchers found that consuming produce was negatively associated with mortality. Specifically, daily consumption of fruit and vegetables can decrease risks of mortality by 10 percent, and delay mortality by 1.12 years. They also found that for every 200 gram increase of produce consumed, risk of death goes down by 6 percent. Cardiovascular disease was especially decreased by eating produce, and participants who smoked or had high alcohol consumption benefited a disproportionately high amount from eating a healthy diet. Interestingly, there was a stronger correlation between longevity and eating fresh fruit and vegetables than for cooked produce.