Did you know that to help support our health we should be eating more than 30 different vegetables each week? That doesn’t just mean a mix of peppers, cucumber, and potatoes either! The variety of the foods that we eat matters. 

Micronutrients & phytonutrients aren’t often spoken about when we start thinking about what to eat. However, micronutrients – vitamins and minerals – are needed in smaller quantities than macronutrients, but they are just as important. Micronutrients work in tandem with macronutrients to keep the body functioning. they are crucial for maintaining energy levels, metabolism, cellular function, and physical & mental wellbeing. 

In a recent meta-analysis published in PubMed, a correlation between the amount of fruits and vegetables, grains, and nuts (where a lot of micronutrients/phytonutrients can be found) consumed daily and the RR (resistance rate) to chronic diseases such as cancer, stroke, coronary heart disease and other chronic illness was found to be linear, in other words, the more consumed up to a certain amount, the more benefits and disease resistance was demonstrated. The authors of the meta-analysis showed that fruits and vegetables (including legumes) consumed in amounts from 200 grams per day up to 800 grams per day had an inverse correlation with those chronic diseases. (80 grams equals one serving, example ½ cup of blueberries). So, with as little as 2 to 3 servings of fruits and vegetables benefits are seen, although the most benefits were seen at 800 grams daily (10 servings), after which the benefits were non-linear.