Eat fruits & vegetables for longer life

Eat fruits & vegetables for longer life
Consuming high amounts of beta-carotene's less well-known antioxidant cousin, alpha-carotene, in fruits and vegetables can lower the risk of dying from all causes, including heart disease and cancer.
The researchers studied 15,318 American adults, 20 years of age or older, who took part in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. All underwent a medical exam between 1988 and 1994, during which time blood samples were taken. Participants were tracked for a 14-year period through 2006. By that point, more than 3,800 participants had died. Most people - regardless of lifestyle habits, demographics or overall health risks - had fewer life-limiting health troubles as their blood concentrations of alpha-carotene rose. The effect was dramatic, with risks falling from 23 to 39 percent as an individual's alpha-carotene levels climbed.
Blood analyses revealed that, compared with those who had blood alpha-carotene levels of between 0 and 1 micrograms per decilitre (mcg/dL), those falling in the range of between 2 and 3 mcg/dL faced a 23 percent lower risk of death from all causes.
Eat more fruit and vegetables if you want to live longer and healthier.