Narsai David: Eat Your Fruits And Veggies, But Is One Better Than The Other?

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS)— If you eat your veggies, can you skip the fruit? We so often see the phrase: eat your fruits and vegetables. The University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter has an interesting article that makes the case for fruit.

When you hear that kind of a phrase that does not mean you have a choice of one or the other even though they have a lot in common. As plant foods they provide a lot of vitamin C, potassium and other vitamins and minerals along with fiber. They're rich in carotenoids such as beta carotene that you associate with carrots.

Fruit is also full of phytochemicals that provide antioxidants and other beneficial effects. However, just because fruits and veggies are grouped together as produce, doesn't mean they have the same composition or the same health effects.

Some nutrition studies often look at them together. If you look at them separately, you might be surprised at what you find. Take hypertension for example. A large Japanese study from 2011 showed that people who consumed the most fruit (most commonly citrus— followed by apples, grapes and watermelon) had the lowest risk of developing high-blood pressure over four years.

A 2014 review of over 20 studies found that fruits— again (especially citrus) were more protective against stroke than vegetables. With an extra seven ounces a day it was linked to show a 32-percent drop in stroke risk. Pears and apples were found to be especially protective.

The bottom line: eat a good balance of fruits and vegetables. In my mind, you can never have too much of either.