To Produce Good Health, Bite Into Fruit and Veggies

Dietary supplement makers have tried to duplicate the health effects of fruit and vegetables, without success. And in one large Scandinavian study, smokers who took supplements with beta carotene had an increased risk of lung cancer compared with those who didn't take the pills. To date, there have been no reported harmful effects of consuming any of these substances in food.

What makes food better? Scientists believe it comes down to synergy: reactions that take place in the food itself between phytonutrients and vitamins and minerals.

That's why it's key to meet the recommended daily intake for fruit and vegetables. Studies suggest that just 25 percent of adults and children in the United States eat enough fruit daily. Only 13 percent get enough vegetables each day.

How much do you need? Forget the old "five-a-day" advice. That was retired in 2005, when the U.S. Dietary Guidelines were updated. Current recommendations are for most adults to eat about two cups daily of fruit (roughly equal to two pieces) and about 2.5 cups of vegetables per day.

The message is simple: If you're looking for flavor that also is worth its weight in nutritional benefits, reach for fruit and vegetables as often as possible. Or perhaps this Middle Eastern saying puts it best: "A melon for ecstasy!"

Find more information at:

· Fruits and Veggies -- More Matters, a joint effort of the federal government and the Produce for Better Health Foundation, http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org.

· My Pyramid, http://www.mypyramid.gov, run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.