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The Healthy Facts about Fruits and Vegetables

May 25, 2005

Most people know about the vitamin C found in oranges or the beta-carotene in carrots. But don’t overlook the hidden benefits of resveratrol, lycopene and anthocyanin.

These compounds are among the ever-increasing number of phytochemicals whose existence and roles in nutrition and health are being discovered by researchers.

Phytochemicals are ingredients in fruits and vegetables that appear to promote health, by reducing disease risk. They include:

• Lycopene, found in tomatoes, watermelon and pink grapefruit, which may aid in reduced risk of prostate cancer and heart disease.
• Anthocyanin, found in blueberries, blackberries, cherries, kiwi, plums and eggplant, which may help reduce the risk of cancer and may prevent urinary tract infections.
• Resveratrol, found in red grapes, wine and peanuts. Resveratrol may help reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.

These health-promoting compounds are more reasons why we should all make eating fruits and vegetables a priority.

Produced by ADA’s Public Relations Team

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