Regular Consumption Of Fruits Research Articles

Phytochemical Therapies in Vascular Functioning: A Molecular Approach.

There has been an increasing interest in the usage of natural products for the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD). Regular consumption of fruits, vegetables and whole grains has been shown to be negatively correlated with the risk of CVDs. These foods provide a diversity of nutrients and different bioactive compounds including phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals and fibers which play critical roles in the sustainability of optimal cardiovascular health. Plant-based foods or a nutritional cure are gradually being integrated into medical practice for CVD management partly due to the supporting experimental studies, clinical trials and epidemiological studies. These products have anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, hypotensive, anti-atherosclerotic, anti-thrombotic and hypocholesterolemic effects, depending on the dosage in cell and tissue cultures, animal models as well as in humans. The present review considers some novel ideas on some major phytochemicals which have been suggested to have protective and therapeutic potential in CVD. The data presented in this work have been compiled from studies that have mostly been carried out in recent years.

Fruit and vegetable consumption among the young Polish population.

Vegetables and fruit are an essential part of a healthy and balanced diet. It has been shown that regular consumption of fruit and vegetables can reduce the risk of chronic diseases. However, in the past 8 years fruit and vegetable consumption among Polish youth has significantly decreased. Patients involved in the project were participants of the Woodstock Festival Poland 2014. During three days of the festival, 615 young adults (18–35 years) were enrolled in the study. The study participants had to fill in a questionnaire that included questions about the frequency of fruit and vegetable consumption, portion sizes, and knowledge of the recommended daily intake. We also measured basic anthropometric parameters. The data from our study showed that 97.6% of respondents consumed fewer than 4 servings of vegetables and fruit. In addition 39% of them ate 2 or fewer vegetable servings per day. We found that men ate significantly less fruit and fewer vegetables than women (p < 0.05). Additionally, almost 75% of men responded that proper consumption of fruit and vegetables should be at the level of 2–3 servings, and only 22.3% of them said that the proper level is 4–5 servings. We need to keep in mind that only clear information about vegetables and fruit, as well as highlighting the importance of the principles of nutrition, can give effective results in the future. It also appears that nutritional education should be conducted not only at the early stages of development but also in adolescents.

Feasibility of using of a simplified question in assessing diet quality of adolescents.

This study aims to analyze the applicability of a simplified question in assessing diet quality of adolescents in a cross-sectional school-based study carried out in a sample of high school students. Diet quality self-perception was obtained when the participant was inquired about own diet considering "excellent", "good", "fair" or "poor" responses. We evaluated meals habits and food intake through food frequency questionnaire. The revised version of the Brazilian Healthy Eating Index (BHEI-R) was estimated and we identified three dietary patterns using factor analysis. "Good" self-perceived diet quality was reported by 56% of adolescents and was associated with regular consumption of fruits and vegetables, meal profile and high healthy eating index scores. However, consumption of foods harmful to health was not perceived as characteristic that affects diet quality. The evaluated question showed sensitivity of 28% to detect good quality diets and specificity of 79% to identify low nutritional value diets. The use of a simplified question to assess dietary habits of adolescents is limited, since the consumption of high-fat, high-sugar and high-sodium food was not recognized as an indicator of low quality diet.

Sociodemographic and dietary factors influencing overweight and obesity in school going children aged 10 to 15 years: a cross sectional community based study

Background: Childhood obesity as a rampant public health problem as it is affecting both developed and developing countries. Understanding the trends in obesity prevalence among children, contributing factors and developing strategies for successful interventions is the need of the hour. Hence the present study was aimed at understanding the implication of dietary and socio-demographic factors influencing overweight and obesity among 10-15 year old school children.Methods: The study was a cross sectional study, undertaken in eight private schools of Belgaum City, Karnataka from January 2010 to December 2010. School children of sixth to tenth standard aged between 10 to 15 years were included. Children were interviewed by the investigator. Examination was carried out which included general physical examination, measurement of height, weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, blood pressure and other vital signs. Overweight and obesity were defined basing on Based on WHO and International obesity task force (IOTF) BMI cut-off standards for Asia and India.Results: A total of 600 children were included of which 52.33% were males. Majority of the study subjects belonged to socio economic class I and II. About 65.67% of students belonged to nuclear family. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 18.83% in study population. Out of this overweight contributed 11.33% and obesity contributed 7.5%.The odds of overweight and obesity was higher in females (OR=1.19), In children aged 13 years (OR=3.21), in children belonging to Sikh community (OR=6.26) and in children with socio economic class II (OR=1.65). Children from joint family (OR=0.70) and third generation family (OR=0.29) had lower odds of overweight and obesity compared to children from nuclear families. Daily consumption of snacks between meals (OR=2.42), sweets (OR=1.985), ice-cream (OR=1.667), fast foods (OR=3.062) and beverages (OR=4.80) were strongly associated with increased risk of overweight and obesity in study population. Daily consumption of fruits (OR=0.095) and vegetables (OR=0.166) and pulses (OR=0.690) was associated with reduced risk of overweight and obesity in study population (Table 4).Conclusions: Overall the study findings reveal that children had a relatively higher prevalence of overweight and obesity. Regular intake of fast foods, beverages, snacks between the meals and ice creams was associated with higher risk of obesity in study population. Regular consumption of fruits, vegetables and pulses had strong negative association with overweight and obesity in study population.

Multiple spatially resolved reflection spectroscopy to monitor cutaneous carotenoids during supplementation of fruit and vegetable extracts in vivo.

A nutrition rich in fruit and vegetables and a healthy lifestyle become more and more important in the industrial countries to counteract oxidative stress and promote health. For many years, it has been possible to control human cutaneous carotenoids noninvasively by resonance Raman spectroscopic systems and by spatially resolved reflectance spectroscopy. Ten volunteers took a commercially available fruit and vegetable extract daily for a time period of 5weeks. A second group served as control group and did not take any supplements (10 volunteers). To monitor the status of the cutaneous carotenoids noninvasively, an optical sensor based on multiple spatially resolved reflectance spectroscopy was applied once a week. The study could demonstrate that the intake of the supplement significantly increase the cutaneous carotenoid values of the young adults by 50%. The control group without any supplementation showed also significantly increased values, ie, by 10%, which might be due to the fact that their lifestyle was controlled. The results illustrate that a biofeedback by measuring the skin carotenoids could improve the lifestyle of young adults and that a regular consumption of fruit and vegetables directly or as a drink can increase the concentration of cutaneous carotenoids significantly.

Health Promotion Potential of Vegetables Cultivated in Northern Thailand: A Preliminary Screening of Tannin and Flavonoid Contents, 5α-Reductase Inhibition, Astringent Activity, and Antioxidant Activities.

Many of scientific evidences suggest that regular consumption of fruits and vegetables can prevent chronic diseases. In Northern Thailand, there are many vegetables that are usually consumed by local people. In this study, 17 local vegetables were selected and extracted with 95% ethanol. The extracts were screened for 5α-reductase inhibitory activity, total tannin and flavonoid contents, astringent and antioxidant activities. The results showed that Spondias pinnata and Ocimum americanum had the highest tannin and flavonoid content, respectively. Neptunia oleracea was the most potent 5α-reductase inhibitor. For antioxidant activities, S pinnata was the most potent ABTS (2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)) radical scavenger and the most potent ferric reducer. Polygonatum odoratum was the most potent hydrogen peroxide scavenger and Leucaena leucocephala was the most potent DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenger among the tested samples. This suggests that local vegetables in Northern Thailand have a health promotion potential, which can be further developed as nutritional supplements, preventive medicines, and topical products for cosmetic purposes.

Comparison between in toto peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch) supplementation and its polyphenolic extract on rat liver xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes

Over the past years, there has been a growing interest in the natural constituents of foods as a potential means of cancer control. To date, epidemiology studies seem to indicate an inverse association between regular consumption of fruit and vegetables and cancer risk.Here, the potential chemopreventive activity of the polyphenolic extract (PPE) of peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch) and of the freeze-dried fruit in toto (LFT), focusing on the modulation of xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes (XMEs) in vivo, was investigated. Rats were daily supplemented with LFT at 250 and 500 mg/kg b.w. or with the corresponding amount of PPE (2.5 and 5 mL/kg b.w., respectively) for either 7 or 14 days. While PPE treatment resulted in a widespread phase-I inactivation, a complex modulation pattern with drastic decreases (7α-testosterone hydroxylase, pentoxyresorufin O-dealkylase (PROD)), coupled with marked up-regulations of ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) and methoxyresorufin O-demethylase (MROD) after LFT administration, was seen. A notable down-regulation (over 50%) following LFT or PPE treatment for the phase-II enzymes was also recorded. The observed remarkable changes in XMEs, if reproduced in humans, might have public health implications. These data suggest caution in promoting peach fruit (mono-diet) consumption or its polyphenolic extract in the field of chemoprevention.

Longitudinal patterns and predictors of multiple health risk behaviors among adolescents: The TRAILS study

BackgroundMost studies on multiple health risk behaviors among adolescents have cross-sectionally studied a limited number of health behaviors or determinants. PurposeTo examine the prevalence, longitudinal patterns and predictors of individual and multiple health risk behaviors among adolescents. MethodsEight health risk behaviors (no regular consumption of fruit, vegetables or breakfast, overweight or obesity, physical inactivity, smoking, alcohol use and cannabis use) were assessed in a prospective population study (second and third wave). Participants were assessed in three waves between ages 10 and 17 (2001–2008; n=2230). Multiple linear regression was used to assess the influence of gender, self-control, parental health risk behaviors, parental monitoring and socioeconomic factors on the number of health risk behaviors adjusted for preceding multiple health risk behaviors (analysis: 2013–2014). ResultsRates of >5 health risk behaviors were high: 3.6% at age 13.5 and 10.2% at age 16. Smoking at age 13.5 was frequently associated with health risk behaviors at age 16. No regular consumption of fruit, vegetables and breakfast, overweight or obesity, physical inactivity and smoking predicted the co-occurrence of health risk behaviors at follow-up. Significant predictors of the development of multiple health risk behaviors were adolescents' levels of self-control, socioeconomic status and maternal smoking. ConclusionsMultiple health risk behaviors are common among adolescents. Individual and social factors predict changes in multiple health risk behaviors, showing that prevention targeting multiple risk behaviors is needed. Special attention should be paid to adolescents with low self-control and families with low socioeconomic status or a mother who smokes.

Risk and protective factors for the development of chronic diseases in a rural elderly population in Rio Grande do Sul

Objective : to verify risk and protective factors for the development of chronic diseases among elderly persons living in the rural area of Linha Senador Ramiro, in Nova Bassano, Rio Grande do Sul. Methods: a cross-sectional censitary-based study was conducted of 70 male and female subjects aged 60 years or over. The subjects were interviewed through a questionnaire and anthropometrically evaluated (weight, height and waist circumference (WC)). The risk factors considered were: smoking, excess weight, intake of saturated fat, physical inactivity and excessive alcohol consumption. The protective factors were: physical activity during leisure time, consumption of fruits and vegetables, and cancer prevention. Results: the population was composed of 70 elderly persons, with a mean age of 70.4 ± 7.8 years. A total of 65.7% of the sample were women, 57.1% considered their health "normal", 72.3% said they were not sedentary and, among women, 78.3 and 47.8% performed mammography and Pap screening, respectively. The prevalence of excess weight was 55.9% and 76.5% of individuals were at increased risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, according to waist circumference. Hypertension was the most prevalent chronic disease (64.3%). The prevalence of daily consumption of vegetables and fruit was 85.7% and 68.6%, respectively; wine, 54.3%, pork fat and queijo colonial (a local cheese) 75.7%, respectively, and homemade bread 87.1%. A total of 7.1% of the population said they smoked. Conclusions: the risk factors identified were high intake of saturated fat, excess weight and a high waist circumference. The protective factors were regular consumption of fruit and vegetables, low rates of physical inactivity and smoking, regular and moderate consumption of wine and preventive examinations. Further studies can assess the true association of these factors with the occurrence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events.

Economic analysis of nutritional value of main fruits and vegetables and the prices of nutrients in Taiwan

In recent years, the problems that Chinese people suffered in addition to the accidental injury, the rest of the cause of death, such as cancer, cerebrovascular disease, heart disease, diabetes and so on, all have close relationship with the nutritional status (the department of health, 2013). Therefore, now we using the theory of “product characteristics” to explore the market value of the regular consumption of fruits and vegetables and nutritional value of the difference, and then estimate the marginal implicit price of nutrients, has its necessity.Based on the 2012 cross-sectional data for empirical data of Taiwan's main vegetables and fruits, using semilog hedonic price function regression to estimate, the results are as follows: 1. The views based on nutrients the market prices of strawberry, loquat, peach, and other products (including 30 items) are on the high side; And products such as orange, onion and big mustard (including 32 items) are on the low side. 2. The prices of various nutrients, the estimated result is as follows: crude fat is 0.788 yuan per g, sugar is 0.2295 yuan, fiber is 0.5993 yuan, vitamin is 0.015 yuan, crude protein is -1.1608 yuan, mineral is 7.4625 yuan.

Kandungan Antioksi dan Asam Askorbat pada Jus Buah-Buahan Tropis

Tropical fruits are rich in nutrients and phytochemicals that benefit our health. As source of antioxidant, regular consumption of fruits will be useful in avoiding many degenerative diseases particularly caused by free radicals. The good effects of antioxidants vary from repairing tissue damages in respiratory system, excretory system as well as reproductive system. Ascorbic acid is one potent antioxidant that has been recorded for history. Known as Vitamin C, its concentration in fruits has been a primary consideration for people to choose what kind of fruit they are going to consume. This experiment’s result exhibited different levels of ascorbic acid in some topical fruits. Average concentration of ascorbic acid from the highest to lowest was obtained in orange, guava, apple, papaya, tamarind and mango with their contents of 96,8; 49,86; 49,57; 48,4 and 41,06 mg/100g, respectively. This result would be a baseline in setting the best fruit combination to obtain maximum effects of antioxidant.

The anti-cancer effects of carotenoids and other phytonutrients resides in their combined activity

Epidemiological studies have consistently shown that regular consumption of fruits and vegetables is strongly associated with reduced risk of developing chronic diseases, such as cancer. It is now accepted that the actions of any specific phytonutrient alone do not explain the observed health benefits of diets rich in fruits and vegetables as nutrients that were taken alone in clinical trials did not show consistent preventive effects. The considerable cost and complexity of such clinical trials requires prudent selection of combinations of ingredients rather than single compounds. Indeed, synergistic inhibition of prostate and mammary cancer cell growth was evident when using combinations of low concentrations of various carotenoids or carotenoids with retinoic acid and the active metabolite of vitamin-D. In this study we aimed to develop simple and sensitive in vitro methods which provide information on potent combinations suitable for inclusion in clinical studies for cancer prevention. We, thus, used reporter gene assays of the transcriptional activity of the androgen receptor in hormone-dependent prostate cancer cells and of the electrophile/antioxidant response element (EpRE/ARE) transcription system. We found that combinations of several carotenoids (e.g., lycopene, phytoene and phytofluene), or carotenoids and polyphenols (e.g., carnosic acid and curcumin) and/or other compounds (e.g., vitamin E) synergistically inhibit the androgen receptor activity and activate the EpRE/ARE system. The activation of EpRE/ARE was up to four fold higher than the sum of the activities of the single ingredients, a robust hallmark of synergy. Such combinations can further be tested in the more complex in vivo models and human studies.

Perceived Purchase of Healthy Foods Is Associated With Regular Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables

ObjectiveTo identify healthy food (HF) purchase habits and intake of fruits and vegetables (FV) in parents responsible for grocery shopping for their families. MethodsSurvey with mothers and fathers (n = 216) of children aged 7–10 years in Brazil. ResultsGrocery purchases occurred mostly at supermarkets. Purchase of HF was considered to be frequent by 80% of parents, who cited FV as main examples of HF. The more frequent the reported purchase was of HF, the higher was the prevalence of regular consumption of FV (P = .002). Only 34% of respondents reported weekly intakes that could be classified as regular. Conclusions and ImplicationsPerceived frequent shopping for healthy foods was positively associated with regular consumption of FV but a gap between perception and behavior was identified. Nutrition education strategies need to go beyond a merely informative role and take consumers' opinions and points of view into consideration to become truly effective.

Comparison of Ascorbic Acid, Total Phenolic Content and Antioxidant Activities of Fresh Juices of Six Fruits Grown in Oman

Background: Regular consumption of fruits and their juices play a beneficial role in the prevention of many diseases owing to the presence of dietary antioxidants such as ascorbic acid, flavonoids and polyphenols. Aim: The aim of the study was to analyze and estimate total phenolics, ascorbic acid content and to investigate free radical scavenging activity of six locally grown and commonly eaten fruits in Oman. Methods: The fruits were thoroughly washed and mechanically squeezed to obtain the juices. The fruit juices after filtration were analyzed for total acidity, ascorbic acid, total phenolic content and in- vitro antioxidant activity by alkalimetery, iodimetric (volumetric), Folin Ciocalteu reagent (colorimetric) and 1,1, diphenyl picrylhyrazyl (DPPH) assay methods respectively. Key findings: Lime juice was found to be the most acidic while grapefruit juice had the maximum ascorbic acid content. Total phenolic content of the juices were observed in the following order of decreasing levels; pomegranate>grapefruit>lemon>lime>s weet melon>watermelon. The result of in- vitro antioxidant activity of all juices, barring watermelon and sweet melon, were quite significant, but the highest scavenging activity of DPPH radicals was exhibited by pomegranate juice closely followed by grapefruit and lemon juices respectively. Conclusion: The Results of this study indicated that these fruits are important to the consumer’s health and a potential source of dietary antioxidants due to their high phenolic and ascorbic acid contents.

Antioxidant activity and chemical components as potential anticancer agents in the olive leaf (Olea europaea L. cv Leccino.) decoction.

Epidemiological studies have shown that a reduced risk of chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases is correlated with a regular consumption of fruits and vegetable, many of which are rich in polyphenols. The additive and synergistic effect of phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables may reduce chronic diseases related to oxidative stress in human body. Olea europaea L. leaf are rich in phenolic components, which have been proposed to play a role in cancer prevention. The purpose of this study was to identify the main components in the Olea europaea L. leaf (cv. Leccino) preserved during the decoction preparation, in order to delineate the antioxidant activities of the crude extracts and its isolated compounds by using different in vitro assays including DPPH radicalscavenging capacity, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibitory effect and the ability to delay the linoleic acid peroxidation process (ALP). The aqueous decoction was partitioned obtaining four extracts and the n-butanol extract showed the highest antioxidant activity and the highest total phenolic content. Phytochemical investigation leads to the isolation of thirteen secondary metabolites including simple phenolics, flavonoids, secoiridoids whose structures were elucidated by spectroscopic data (1D and 2D NMR) and spectrometric techniques. A significant free radical scavenging effect against DPPH has been evidenced in fraxamoside (1) (EC50 62.6 µM) and taxifolin (5) (EC50 50.0 µM), isolated for the first time from the water decoction. The most active compound in the TAC evaluation, was the 3,4 dihydro-phenyl glycol (8) (0.90 caffeic acid equiv.) while taxifolin and fraxamoside resulted as the most efficient inhibitors of XO activity (IC50 2.7 and 5.2 µM, respectively). Secoxyloganin (4), oleuropein (2) and tyrosol (6) showed the highest ALP activity. This study adds to the growing body of data supporting the bioactivities of phytochemicals and their potential impact on human health.

Effect on health promoting phytochemicals following seaweed application, in potato and onion crops grown under a low input agricultural system

Regular consumption of fruits and vegetables is linked with a lowered risk of heart disease, cancer and stroke. Two different pilot studies were set up in Greece (potato), and Ireland (onion) to study the effect of a commercial cold process seaweed extract from Ascophyllum nodosum on the yield and phytochemical content of potato and onion. Results from this study indicated that there was an increase in phenolic and flavonoid content in onion while in potato significant differences were detected only in flavonoid content. There were no statistically significant differences in yield in either crop, although seaweed treated potato plants had higher yields. These results indicate the potential of seaweed extracts in increasing the phytochemical content of vegetables.

Natural products as potential cancer therapy enhancers: A preclinical update.

Cancer is a multifactorial disease that arises as a consequence of alterations in many physiological processes. Recently, hallmarks of cancer were suggested that include sustaining proliferative signaling, evading growth suppressors, resisting cell death, enabling replicative immortality, inducing angiogenesis, and activating invasion and metastasis, along with two emerging hallmarks including reprogramming energy metabolism and escaping immune destruction. Treating multifactorial diseases, such as cancer with agents targeting a single target, might provide partial treatment and, in many cases, disappointing cure rates. Epidemiological studies have consistently shown that the regular consumption of fruits and vegetables is strongly associated with a reduced risk of developing chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Since ancient times, plants, herbs, and other natural products have been used as healing agents. Moreover, the majority of the medicinal substances available today have their origin in natural compounds. Traditionally, pharmaceuticals are used to cure diseases, and nutrition and herbs are used to prevent disease and to provide an optimal balance of macro- and micro-nutrients needed for good health. We explored the combination of natural products, dietary nutrition, and cancer chemotherapeutics for improving the efficacy of cancer chemotherapeutics and negating side effects.

Effect of Tomato Industrial Processing on Phenolic Profile and Antiplatelet Activity

Background: Regular consumption of fruits and vegetables (e.g., tomatoes) has been shown to be beneficial in terms of reducing the incidence of cardiovascular diseases. The industrial processing of tomatoes into tomato-based products includes several thermal treatments. Very little is known on the effect of tomato industrial processing on antiaggregatory activity and phenolic profile. Methods: It was assessed the effect of tomato and by-products extracts on platelet aggregation induced by ADP, collagen, TRAP-6 and arachidonic acid. These in vitro antithrombotic properties were further supported in an in vivo model of thrombosis. A set of antiplatelet compounds has been selected for HPLC analysis in the different extracts. Results: Some natural compounds such as chlorogenic, caffeic, ferulic and p-coumaric acids were identified by HPLC in tomatoes and its products may inhibit platelet activation. Red tomatoes, tomato products (sauce, ketchup and juice) and by-products extracts inhibited platelet aggregation induced adenosine 5'-diphosphate, collagen, thrombin receptor activator peptide-6 and arachidonic acid, but to a different extent. Also, pomace extract presents antithrombotic activity. Conclusions: Processed tomatoes may have a higher content of health-benefiting compounds than fresh ones. Pomace even presents the best antiplatelet activity. Finally, tomato products may be used as a functional ingredient adding antiplatelet activities to processed foods.

Chemopreventive potential of flavonoids in oral squamous cell carcinoma in human studies.

Evidence available from nutritional epidemiology has indicated an inverse association between regular consumption of fruits and vegetables and the risk of developing certain types of cancer. In turn, preclinical studies have attributed the health-promoting effects of plant foods to some groups of phytochemicals, by virtue of their many biological activities. In this survey, we briefly examine the chemopreventive potential of flavonoids and flavonoid-rich foods in human oral carcinogenesis. Despite the paucity of data from clinical trials and epidemiological studies, in comparison to in vitro/in vivo investigations, a high level of evidence has been reported for epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and anthocyanins. These flavonoids, abundant in green tea and black raspberries, respectively, represent promising chemopreventive agents in human oral cancer.

Dietary Bioactive Compounds and Their Health Implications

There is strong scientific evidence suggesting that regular consumption of fruits and vegetables is negatively associated with risk of developing chronic diseases. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend at least 9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day based on a 2000 kcal diet. However, the average person in the United States consumes 3.6 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. In order to achieve the goal of at least 9 servings, we should continue educating Americans about the health benefits of fruits and vegetables and recommend consumers to eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. The key is to increase the amount up to 9 to 13 servings of fruits and vegetables a day in all forms. Fresh, cooked, and processed fruits and vegetables including frozen and canned, 100% fruit juices, 100% vegetable juices, and dried fruits are all considered as servings of fruits and vegetables. A wide variety of fruits and vegetables provide a range of nutrients and different bioactive compounds including phytochemicals (phenolics, flavonoids, and carotenoids), vitamins (vitamin C, folate, and provitamin A), minerals (potassium, calcium, and magnesium), and fibers. More and more evidence suggests that the health benefits of fruits and vegetables are attributed to the additive and synergistic interactions of the phytochemicals present in whole foods by targeting multiple signal transduction pathways. Therefore, consumers should obtain nutrients and bioactive compounds from a wide variety of whole foods for optimal nutrition and health well-being, not from expensive dietary supplements.