Researchers at the Institute of Metabolic Science in Cambridge claim that variety on one's plate can stave off killer illnesses like diabetes, heart disease and strokes. And, it even helps to choose different coloured foods because they give you different nutrients.
The study has shown in particular that people who consumed 16 different types of fruit and vegetables per week were on average about 40 per cent less likely to develop diabetes than people who averaged only eight varieties.
For their study, the researchers looked at data from 3,704 adults aged 40 to 79 who were part of a larger study on nutrition and chronic diseases.
Lead researcher Senior researcher Nita Forouhi was quoted by the 'Daily Express' as saying, "The findings on variety of intake is new and exciting, because it demonstrates that independent of the quantity consumed, we have the potential to gain additional and important benefits from choosing a mixture of different fruits and vegetables."
She added: "Our work does not recommend any particular fruit or vegetable items to be better than others. It is more about overall getting a greater mix. Experimenting with items we don't usually eat, or eat enough of, would be good message.
"To get a healthy variety it is best to think about consuming a range of different colours of fruits and vegetables as this will provide our bodies with a wide range of different and valuable nutrients. Also, it is important to remember that fresh, frozen, cooked, canned and dried fruits or vegetables all count."
The findings are published in the 'Diabetes Care' journal. PTI MOT