Even though today’s veggies are different from wild ones, eating them still makes people healthier.
Scientific Claim
Consumption of modern, selectively bred fruits and vegetables is associated with improved health outcomes in human populations.
Original Statement
“The research on this stuff is not having people eat ancient plants. They're having them eat regular fruits and vegetables that are in the store. People get healthier when they eat these things.”
Context Details
Domain
nutrition
Population
human
Subject
Consumption of modern fruits and vegetables
Action
is associated with
Target
improved health outcomes in human populations
Intervention Details
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (5)
Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Mortality
People who ate more fruits and veggies—about five servings a day—lived longer and had fewer heart attacks, cancers, and breathing problems, so eating these foods is good for your health.
Eating more fruits and veggies is linked to living longer, especially by reducing heart disease risk — and since most fruits and veggies we eat today are the modern, bred kinds, this supports the idea that they help us stay healthier.
Eating more fruits and veggies—like apples, spinach, and broccoli—is linked to lower risks of heart disease, cancer, and dying early, which means modern fruits and veggies we eat today are helping people stay healthier.
This study found that pregnant women who ate more fruits and vegetables had healthier babies, which supports the idea that eating more fruits and veggies is good for your health.
Technical explanation
This paper directly tests whether increased consumption of fruits and vegetables improves health outcomes (birth outcomes) in a specific human population (pregnant women with GDM/HDP), aligning precisely with the assertion that modern, selectively bred produce is associated with improved health. The study measures dietary intake and links it to clinical outcomes, making it highly relevant.
In rural Ethiopia, moms who ate more fruits and veggies had fewer problems during pregnancy and healthier babies, showing that eating these foods helps people stay healthy.
Technical explanation
This prospective cohort study directly links higher consumption of fruits and vegetables to reduced risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes (preterm birth, low birth weight, stillbirth), supporting the assertion that such dietary intake improves health outcomes in humans, even in a low-income setting.
Contradicting (2)
This study found that modern broccoli is better for farmers but has less genetic variety than old types—it doesn’t say anything about whether it’s healthier for people.
Ancient people had healthier teeth than modern people, and the study blames modern diets — including today’s fruits and veggies — for more tooth decay, which goes against the idea that they’re better for you.
Technical explanation
This paper contrasts ancient diets (assumed to be less processed and more natural) with modern diets, attributing increased dental disease to the shift toward modern, processed food systems — implying that modern food systems (including selectively bred produce) may be linked to worse health outcomes, thus contradicting the assertion.