Eating more Vegetables during Childhood leads to Healthy Heart

A new study reveals that eating fruits and vegetables during childhood can prevent arterial stiffening, one of the key factors in heart disease, during adulthood.

The study followed 1,622 subjects, ranging in baseline age from three to 18, for 27 years. It compared their lifestyle factors, such as fruit and vegetable intake, alcohol use, and smoking.

The researchers found that those who ate fewer vegetables had higher pulse wave velocity, indicating a higher risk of atherosclerosis and heart disease.

Mika Kahonen, MD, PhD, professor and chief physician for the department of clinical physiology at Tampere University Hospital in Tampere, Finland, says: "These findings suggest that a lifetime pattern of low consumption of fruits and vegetables is related to arterial stiffness in young adulthood. Parents and pediatricians have yet another reason to encourage children to consume high amounts of fruits and vegetables."

Tips to clean your Fruits and Vegetables

Recent reports of illness caused by fresh produce have upped awareness on the need to wash before eating. Each of the basic rules from the U.S. Department of Agriculture is "equally important," says Robert Buchwald, environmental health supervisor with a branch of the Virginia Department of Health.

Wash everything. It includes prepackaged products (even if the label says "pre-washed" or "ready to eat") and the outer rinds and skins of all produce.

Use running water. Hold produce under the tap (the USDA recommends cold water) and turn it continuously to reach all sides. Gently rub soft fruits and vegetables for 30 to 60 seconds; use a vegetable brush on firmer items such as apples, cucumbers and carrots.

Avoid harsh cleaning agents. Detergents, soaps and bleaches can seep inside fruits and vegetables. Some people like commercial sprays and washes for produce, although there's not clear evidence they clean better than plain water.

Be thorough. Germs can bury themselves in tiny crevices. Before washing, cut off stalks and stems (which tend to be very dirty) and remove bruised or damaged spots where bacteria can thrive. Discard the outer leaves of lettuce and cabbage and separate individual leaves for washing.

Dry it off. Use a clean towel or paper towel to help wipe away lingering germs.

Never skip the water. Blowing on a piece of fruit and rubbing it on your shirt or a dry towel isn't effective.

Eat Fruits & Vegetables for Longer Life

Nutritionists have long advised us to add color to our diet. In fact, they say the more colors we eat, the better balanced the meal. A new study in the Archives of Internal Medicine supports this belief.

Carotenoids are yellow, orange and red pigments made by plants that come into our body through fruits and vegetables. They're found in yellow-orange vegetables such as carrots and sweet potatoes, and dark green vegetables, like green beans.

There are two types of carotenoids, alpha- and beta-carotene, which both produce vitamin A in our bodies. More is known about beta-carotene because of its possible role in preventing chronic disease.

Now, in a new study of over 15-thousand adults, researchers measured the concentration of alpha-carotene in the blood. Over a 14 year period they found that the risk of death was lower for people with elevated levels of alpha-carotene.

The investigators think that the benefits of high alpha-carotene eventually flattens out - it's not an elixir of eternal life. But they conclude that increasing fruit and vegetable consumption may prevent premature death.