A study in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition looked at the changes in cardiometabolic risk factors in a middle-age Mediterranean population at high risk for cardiovascular disease. Scientists studied 6,647 subjects via data collection over one year. Fruit and vegetable intake was estimated using a food questionnaire in order to determine the association between one-year changes in fruit/vegetable intake and cardiometabolic risk factors.

Eating more fruits and vegetables was associated with a decrease in blood sugar, body weight, and waist circumference. The change in diet was also found to correlate with a decrease in triglycerides.

Our mothers were right when they told us to eat our fruits and vegetables. The Standard American Diet (SAD) is truly sad because it contains too many refined foods such as sugar, flour, salt, and oils. We need to eat healthy, unrefined foods.

That’s because the refining process removes vital nutrients from food. It’s done so that food products can sit on the shelves for long periods of time, increasing profit margins.

Unfortunately, it’s also detrimental to your health. Fresh fruits and vegetables, on the other hand, contain an abundance of healthy nutrients.

Four or more servings of fresh fruit and vegetables should be part of your diet.