ABSTRACT
With a growing body of evidence on the health benets of fruits and vegetables, the old adage “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” no doubt sounds promising in today’s climate of rising rates of diet-related chronic diseases and healthcare costs. Regular intake of colorful fruits and vegetables is an important component of a healthy lifestyle that can confer protection against chronic diseases-and with good reason. Low intake of this vibrant food group accounts for an estimated 1.7 million deaths globally including those caused by gastrointestinal cancer (14%), ischemic heart disease (11%), and stroke (9%) annually (World Health Organization, 2004). In support, epidemiological surveys suggest associations between high intakes of fruits and vegetables and lower incidences of chronic diseases such as cancer (Riboli and Norat, 2003) and cardiovascular disease (Liu et al., 2000; Bazzano et al., 2002). Such staggering gures have shaped dietary guidelines around the world recommending a daily intake between 5 and 10 servings of fruits and vegetables or 400 g (World Health Organization, 2004).
