Consumers are being urged to step up fresh produce consumption to eight portions a day following Oxford University led research.
It found those who eat at least eight 80g portions of fruit and veg a day have a 22 per cent lower chance of dying of the most common form of heart disease.
The scientists, who have just published their findings in the European Heart Journal, looked at data from more than 300,000 people provided by the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer & Nutrition heart study.
“The risk of a fatal ischaemic heart disease for someone eating five portions of fruit and vegetables a day would be four per cent lower compared to someone consuming four portions a day, and so on up to eight portions or more,” said
Dr Francesca Crowe of the Cancer Epidemiology Unit at the University of Oxford.
The Fresh Produce Consortium welcomed the findings, but was doubtful they would lead to a policy shift. “From a pragmatic point of view it is positive to be encouraging people to eat more fresh produce,” said chief executive Nigel Jenney. “The 5 A DAY message is well established and it is unlikely in the short to medium term that there will be a change from the government point of view. Different European countries already have different regional and national schemes encouraging to consumers to eat 10, 12 or even 13 a day but there is variation in the portion size.”
