Vegetable Symposium Hears that Vegetable Juices are
Good Way to Achieve Dietary Goal
Something as easy as drinking vegetable juice can
help people increase their vegetable intake and have significant health
benefits
Oct. 21, 2009 For many elderly, in particular
those who live alone, preparing healthy meals can become a burden. Two
studies presented this week at the International Symposium on Human
Health Effects of Fruits and Vegetables in Avignon, France, suggest an
easy, enjoyable way to add more vegetables to their diet.
Decades of studies have documented the link between
eating a diet rich in vegetables and multiple health benefits, yet
nearly eight out of 10 people worldwide fall short of the daily
recommendation. Research presented at the symposium suggests the best
approach may be to focus on the factors that are often behind this
vegetable gap: convenience and enjoyment.
Two studies presented at the symposium found that
the addition of vegetable juice in people's diets was a successful
strategy to help them reach the vegetable guidelines (at least 4
servings per day).
CDC issues first state-by-state report. Healthy
People 2010 aims for at least 75% of Americans to eat two or more
servings of fruit, least 50% three or more servings of vegetables daily
In fact, the addition of a portable drink, such as
V8 100% vegetable juice, was more successful than an approach that
focused solely on nutrition education, or offering dietary counseling on
ways to increase vegetable intake, says a news release from the
Campbell Soup Company, which owns the V8 brand.
Researchers at the University of California-Davis
conducted a 12-week study among adults ages 40-65 years. All of the
people in the study who drank at least two cups of vegetable juice met
daily vegetable recommendations, yet only seven percent of the non-juice
drinkers met the goal.
The participants in the study with borderline high
blood pressure who drank one to two servings of V8 juice lowered their
blood pressure significantly.
According to the research, the vegetable juice
drinkers said they enjoyed the juice and felt like they were doing
something good for themselves by drinking it.
"Enjoyment is so critical to developing eating
habits you can stick with for the long-term," said study co-author Carl
Keen, PhD, Professor of Nutrition and Internal Medicine at the
University of California-Davis.
"Health and nutrition professionals must help
people find simple ways for people to get their vegetables or they
simply won't do it, and that means they won't reap the benefits of a
vegetable-rich diet. Vegetable juice is something that people enjoy,
plus it's convenient and portable, which makes it simple to drink every
day."
Research conducted at the Baylor College of
Medicine revealed that drinking vegetable juice helped overweight
individuals with metabolic syndrome lose more weight compared to
non-juice drinkers. In the study, participants who drank one to two
servings of Low Sodium V8 100% vegetable juice a day as part of a
balanced diet increased their vegetable intake and lost an average of
four pounds over the 12-week study period.
Those who did not drink juice lost only one pound.
Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of risk factors for
heart disease and diabetes that includes excess body fat in the
midsection, high blood pressure, high blood sugar and elevated blood
cholesterol.
"Heart disease and obesity are two major global
health issues today, so if we can provide people with actionable, small
steps in reducing risk factors, that's a big win in promoting good
health" said study co-author John Foreyt, PhD, Director of the
Behavioral Medicine Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine.
"We're encouraged to see that something as easy as drinking vegetable
juice can help people increase their vegetable intake and have
significant health benefits."
The Baylor study enrolled 81 adults (83.5% of whom
were minority) with metabolic syndrome risk factors. The studies were
supported in part by Campbell Soup Company and by resources provided
from University of California-Davis and Baylor College of Medicine.
Both studies were randomized controlled trials,
each lasting 12 weeks.
About V8 Juice by the company
For more than 75 years, the makers of V8 juice have
been committed to providing great-tasting, simple ways to help people
get more vegetables each day. In fact, each eight-ounce serving of V8
100% vegetable juice provides two servings (1 cup) of vegetables based
on USDA MyPyramid guidelines. For more information, visit
www.v8juice.com.
About Campbell Soup Company by the company
Campbell Soup Company is a global manufacturer and
marketer of high-quality foods and simple meals, including soup, baked
snacks and healthy beverages. Founded in 1869, the company has a
portfolio of market-leading brands, including Campbell'sฎ, Pepperidge
Farmฎ, Arnott's and V8ฎ. For more information on the company, visit
Campbell's website at
www.campbellsoup.com.
>>
Home Page of Third Annual International Symposium on Human Health
Effects of Fruits and Vegetables
Keep up with the latest news for senior citizens, baby
boomers
Oct. 21, 2009 For many elderly, in particular
those who live alone, preparing healthy meals can become a burden. Two
studies presented this week at the International Symposium on Human
Health Effects of Fruits and Vegetables in Avignon, France, suggest an
easy, enjoyable way to add more vegetables to their diet.