Rav Casley Gera

Increasing consumption of fruit and vegetables can significantly reduce the risk of many chronic diseases. It has been estimated that eating at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables a day could reduce the risk of deaths from chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and cancer by up to 20%.

It has been estimated that diet might contribute to the development of one-third of all cancers, and that increasing fruit and vegetable consumption is the second most important cancer prevention strategy, after reducing smoking… Higher consumption of fruit and vegetables also reduces the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke… Research suggests that there are other health benefits too, including delaying the development of cataracts, reducing the symptoms of asthma, improving bowel function, and helping to manage diabetes.

- Department of Health website

Eating a variety of fruit and vegetables will give you plenty of vitamins and minerals, as many of them are naturally high in folic acid, vitamin C and potassium. They’re also a good source of fibre and antioxidants. These are all important for your health not only now, but for the future too.

- NHS “5 a Day” website

Making things accessible for the public is all very well and good. But this is silly. “These are all important for my health”? How? Who are you anyway? There are, it seems, really serious, genuine health benefits to eating more fruit and vegetables. Why is the NHS unwilling to explain them?