Goodbye 2020, Hello Fruits & Veggies
The United Nations has marked 2021 as the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables
Across the world, almost 110,000 people die every day from a noncommunicable disease. This number has been increasing in the last ten years. In fact, deaths from noncommunicable diseases exceed deaths from all communicable diseases combined.
Deaths from noncommunicable diseases are ten times higher than the daily deaths from the communicable disease COVID-19.
NCDs are all non-infectious and non-transmissible diseases that are most often a consequence of either behavioral factors (such as smoking), or could be caused by genetic factors (such as inheritable cancers); they include include cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes. While NCDs are more prevalent in low- and middle-income countries, their impact is felt globally and most recent statistics suggest that NCDs account for more than half the global burden of disease, and almost 70% of global deaths. Several studies have shown that inadequate fruit and vegetable intake increases the risk for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).
According to the World Health Organization, a healthy diet should include 400 g of fruits and vegetables; the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans have similar advice. These recommendations are based on…
