Health news: Seven plus a day

For years we've been told to eat our 5+ a day of fruit and vege, but now the bar has moved.

For years we’ve been told to get our 5+ fruit and vege every day, but now the bar has moved. A Spanish study has found that if you really want to enjoy the health benefits of plant-based foods, you should eat at least seven portions a day. The extra two portions can apparently make a big difference to our wellbeing. They found people who get 7+ a day:

• Are 10% less likely to die prematurely

• Live an average of 1.12 years longer than those who eat few veges

• Are 15% less likely to develop heart disease

Research also shows that if everyone ate the recommended daily allowance of fruit and vegetables, the number of people with chronic diseases would fall by 10 to 25%.