ABSTRACT
Epidemiological studies clearly indicate a protective effect of fruit and vegetable consumption against the occurrence of several types of cancer in humans (1). This has led to a recommendation by the U.S. National Cancer Institute that all citizens consume at least four to six servings of fruit and vegetables per day. If this were to occur, it is estimated that the overall reduction in cancer incidence in the United States would be approximately 20%–30% (2), with similar (or possibly greater) reductions worldwide. The protective effects of fruits and vegetables against cancer, broadly referred to as chemoprevention, is attributed to their content of fiber and to multiple nutritive and nonnutritive compounds.
