Most of us are aware that nutritionists and many government agencies recommend that we eat at least five portions of different fruit and vegetables each day – some experts are suggesting that we should increase this to nine portions per day. These guidelines are based on the nutritional value of these foods in relation to the known minimal daily requirements of essential vitamins and minerals.

But if five portions of fruit and vegetables do indeed provide sufficient vitamins and minerals then why should the experts now recommend that we eat more than this quantity of fruit and vegetables? I don’t think that there is a precise scientific reason for these new recommendations; rather it it’s a “gut feeling” and the results of studies such as these that confirm how nutrients other than vitamins and minerals help protect us against disease. The Puerto Rico study examined the dietary habits and risk for coronary heart disease of 1200 middle-aged Puerto Rican men over a 10 year period.

The authors found that the risk for coronary heart disease amongst this group was reduced, not by the quantity of fruit and vegetables that they consumed, but rather by the variety of these foods that they ate. Those who ate a greater variety of fruit and vegetables also had lower blood levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) – a biomarker for inflammation that also predicts the risk for heart attack and other diseases. The Spanish study (published in the September 2010 edition of the Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention journal) showed that male smokers who eat more than eight sub-groups of vegetables lowered their risk for lung cancer by 23% compared to those who ate fewer than four sub-groups. Moreover, the risk falls by a further 4% for each unit added to the diet from another sub-group.

These two studies are pretty convincing evidence that plant foods contain a multiplicity of valuable disease-mitigating compounds other than vitamins and minerals. They also show us that, for optimum health, it is not such a good idea to depend only on the “superfood of the month” and a handful of vitamin supplements. Rather we should focus our attention on increasing the diversity of fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices that we eat.

The best way to switch to a plant based diet, is to take baby steps. Start by eating at least one meat free meal a day. After a few weeks try giving up meat on one day of the week. The less meat you eat the greater the benefits for both your health and the environment.

Meatless Mondays are becoming popular around the country. There are some people who choose to be vegetarian on weekdays. Science has proved that there is a direct correlation between meat consumption and the incidence of cancer and heart disease. Vegetarianism is also an effective way to combat obesity, a growing health crisis in many affluent nations. When switching to a vegetarian diet, it is easy to give up meat and fill up with an excess of carbohydrates, fat and sugar. Although vegetarian, such a diet for an extended period of time will only accelerate the incidence of heart disease, obesity and other chronic health issues.

A balanced vegetarian consists of plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. While protein is essential for optimal health, most westerners consume an excess of animal protein. Protein is present in almost all food including vegetables and grains. A diet which incorporates plenty of vegetables, beans and lentils will fulfill a person’s daily requirement of protein without any difficulty. If you are giving up animal products completely, make sure you take a B12 supplement. Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient that is not available in a plant based diet. When preparing a vegetarian meal, instead of trying to recreate a meatless version of a meat centric diet, try to be innovative and use plenty of herbs and spices to flavor your meal. Look to ethnic recipes for inspiration. Most traditional cultures have numerous vegetarian recipes that has been part of their diet for hundreds of years.