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Fruits and vegetables are brimming of healthy nutrients such as Vitamin C, potassium and beta carotene, as well as dietary fibre and plant proteins. It is scientific shown that fruit and vegetables consumption can help keep the body fitter, healthier and happier. Research also proves that eating the recommended 5 a day servings of fruit and vegetables is the most important element of any healthy eating plan.

One serving contains 80 grams of fruit or 77 grams of vegetables. From bananas to cucumbers, whether they are fresh, frozen, chilled, canned or dried, all fruit and vegetables count with one big exception, potatoes, because they contain starch in excess. Beans, lentils and other pulses only contain lots of fibre they don't have the same mix of vitamins and minerals. So, however much you eat, they only count as a portion a day. Also dinking, say, 4 or 5 glasses of natural fruit juice in a day still only counts as '1 portion' from the same reason.

This daily intake of 400 grams of fruits and vegetable is supposed to be the best way to reduce the risk of cancer after reducing smoking. Recent studies concluded that it also has major preventative benefits for heart disease and reduces the risk of stoke.

According to US Department of Health recommendation, the amount of 5 servings a day is very important. For instance, by increasing to five servings a day from three, the body will receive an additional potassium intake by about 50 percent. And the researchers suspect that potassium may be the most important factor in preventing stroke.

The results regarding fruits and vegetable potential to cut the stroke risk is based on evaluating data of more than 257,000 people living in US, Europe and Japan. Study revealed that this risk was 26 percent lower for people who ate more than five servings a day. Study also highlighted the goal for health educators to offer clear and practical information about the sorts of fruits and vegetables everyone should be eating.