Dr. Bhimu Patil, director of the Vegetable and Fruit Improvement Center at Texas A&M University, spoke about his studies on the impact that citrus fruits have on guarding against diseases at a medical, nutritional and agricultural conference at A&M. Courtesy photo

June 15, 2006 - Most people know that eating their fruits and vegetables is on the “to do” list, but not everyone truly knows what the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables are.

 A group of nutritionists, physicians, horticulturists and produce industry leaders gathered at the Bush Library’s Annenberg Presidential Center at Texas A&M University on Tuesday, June 6, to discuss the benefits of fruits and vegetables at a conference called Partnering for a Healthy Tomorrow.

 The experts described how fruits and veggies, including onions, apples, strawberries, grapes, garlic and carrots, can do everything from assist with weight loss to reducing the risk of getting chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

 "More does matter," said Mary Kay Solera, director of the National Fruit and Vegetable Program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "People who eat generous amounts of fruits and vegetables are likely to have reduced risk of chronic diseases."

 Solera said fruits and vegetables should fill at least half of the plate at meal time. Produce provides low-fat, low-calorie, filling options in order to maintain a healthy weight.

 During the conference, Solera unveiled a new logo for the National Fruit and Vegetable Program, which features the slogan: "Fruits and Veggies - More Matters." The new labeling will begin appearing on products during the first quarter of 2007. The new logo will replace the "Five a Day" logo, which became out of date when new dietary guidelines recommended 13 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

 Dr. Michael Wargovich, director of the Chemoprevention Program at the South Carolina Cancer Center, said fruits and vegetables can be seen as nature's medicine.

 “Compounds found in produce have been found by researchers to reduce the growth rate of pre-cancerous cells and are known cancer preventatives,” Wargovich stated.

 But, the problem is getting more people to eat their vegetables, he said.

 "The fact that if you eat fruits and vegetables now, it will decrease your chance of having cancer 20 or 30 years down the road, but that isn't enough for people in their 20s and 30s," Wargovich said. “It is going to really be hard for people to eat more fruits and vegetables unless there is a short-term benefit marker that says, 'persist and you will be well.’”

 Ninety percent of adults do not eat the daily recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables, Solera said. But that can be changed by partnering together to educate the public and make the produce easily accessible.

 "We can't do it alone, but we can partner together to make a difference," she said. "Everyone here has a unique role in increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables."

 Dr. Bhimu Patil, director of the Vegetable and Fruit Improvement Center at A&M has isolated pectin, which is found in citrus fruits, and said his studies justify that orange and grapefruit juice that is regularly given to lab rats prevented osteoporosis. This means that it will most likely prevent osteoporosis from regularly occurring in humans.

 “Osteoporosis affects about 2 million men and 8 million women in the United States,” Patil said. “Nationally, about 1.5 million hips, vertebras and wrists break each year as a result. It's a silent disease of aging, but if we can maintain our bone strength, maybe we will be able to prevent it.”

 A reduction in bone density is caused when there is an increase in oxidants. In Patil’s studies, both grapefruit juice and orange juice increased antioxidants in the rats' systems.

 "There are about 400 compounds in citrus," Patil said. "So we need to find out which compound in citrus caused this."

 Patil suspects it is "limonoid," a natural citrus compound, which has been studied for its potential to prevent various human diseases. Limonoids will be the next phase of Patil’s study.

 “I just suggest that everyone gets their share of fruits and vegetables, with plenty of citrus fruits,” Patil concluded.