Hello, and welcome to the Nutrition Diva Podcast. I'm your host, Monica Reinagel. And

today I have answers to two listener questions. Julie is wondering how drinking water with

meals affects your ability to digest food and absorb nutrients. But first, Bob has a

question about fruits and vegetables. I keep hearing that I should include fruits and

vegetables in my daily diet, he writes, but how much variety do I need in order to meet

the requirement? Can I just eat apples, bananas, broccoli, and corn, or do I need more variety?

You're right. Eating plenty of produce is one of the cornerstones of a healthy diet.

Fruits and vegetables provide similar types of nutrients. They're both good sources of

fiber, antioxidants, and various phytonutrients that simply means plant-based nutrients, which

have been linked to a wide variety of health benefits. Of course, fruits tend to be higher

in sugar than vegetables, which makes them an easier sell in some ways. To the extent

that people may struggle to incorporate fruit on a regular basis, it's usually an issue

of planning, logistics, habits, or access, and not that they don't enjoy it. Personally,

I like to use fruit to satisfy my sweet tooth in a healthier way.

I recommend aiming for five servings of vegetables and two or three servings of fruit each day.

But look, if you wanted to skip the fruit and just eat extra vegetables instead, I would

have absolutely no objection. People who eat more vegetables end up eating less junk

food. They're more likely to maintain a healthy body weight. They're less likely to have

nutrient deficiencies, and in general, they're healthier, and they live longer.

That data show that getting a greater variety of produce also improves your overall nutrient

intake and reduces your risk factor for several diseases independent of the amount you're

eating. Those of you who are familiar with my nutrition GPA app will know that you earn

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