More and more studies confirm that eating lots of fruit and vegetables makes us healthier.  Here’s one that finds out why. A relatively new method of studying the effects of foods on the expression of genes is called nutrigenomics.  This method was used to discover how fruit and vegetable consumption affects inflammation in the body. The study, published in Nutrition & Metabolism in May 2010, shows that those with the highest intakes of fruit and vegetables had lower markers of inflammation.

We already knew that fruits and vegetables were important sources of fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, many of which can act as antioxidants. We know from numerous studies that the fruits and vegetables can benefit us by slowing down or reducing the inflammation process, and features of the metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease. This study is essentially going down to the cellular level to show how constituents of the fruits and vegetables are actually reducing the inflammation. These new methods are showing what is, in reality, happening within our living cells.

This study looked at the plasma in the blood of young healthy adults and assessed the mRNA (messenger RNA: these molecules are little workaholics in our body that are involved in reading the DNA and putting proteins together). They also assessed how the mRNA was related to certain markers for inflammation. The researchers found that the higher the fruit and vegetable consumption in the blood’s donors, the lower the proinflammatory markers.

In addition, they found that white blood cells (PBMC), involved with keeping our immune system in shape to fight infections and protect us from diseases, had lower levels of proinflammatory markers in the blood of those who ate the most fruits and vegetables.

This is really important because chronic inflammation is linked to numerous conditions including heart disease, osteoporosis, cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s, type-2 diabetes, and arthritis. Chronic inflammation is actually and over-expression or lack of control of the normal protective mechanisms within the cells. It seems that eating more fruits and vegetables calms down the protective mechanisms, so less inflammation occurs.

News and reports from many sources shows a trend of more people are eating whole foods – fruits and vegetables and whole grains. I’m hoping that this promising trend continues. It seems that people really do already know that fruits and vegetables are good for them – they probably don’t need this study to tell them one of the ways they help. It is exciting information for those of us who like to understand and keep up with the science, and I hope that sharing it will in turn help readers change from vague good intentions to action plans.  Start wherever you are and increase your fruit and vegetable consumption – it’s worth the effort to avoid the disabling diseases that are linked with the low intake of fruits and vegetables.

I continue to embrace the Chinese Proverb:

“The superior doctor prevents sickness;

The mediocre doctor attends to impending sickness;

The inferior doctor treats actual sickness.”

Dr. Grandma is not a medical doctor; but she strives to prevent sickness.

Red carrots from the Farmers' Market in Kauai. Delicious!

Lychee fruit - yummy, yummy! Also, basil - a huge bunch for 50 cents.

In Kauai, lantana grows wild.

Dr. Grandpa looking at Waimea Canyon.

Can you see the Red-footed Boobies?

Kauai was quite spectacular.