Vegetable Eaters Have Higher Levels of Key Vitamins

Linda Slota, Director Webster Senior Center

The recent outbreak of E. coli in bagged spinach may have scared you away from fresh vegetables, but a new study shows people who eat plenty of raw vegetables and salads typically have higher blood levels of key antioxidant vitamins that help fight disease. The study was conducted among almost 18,000 participants in the National and Health and Nutrition Survey. Participants reported on their diets over the last 24 hours, had physical exams, and blood tests to measure levels of a range of nutrients.

The salad and vegetable eaters had 15% higher blood levels of vitamins A, B6, C, E, and folic acid, as well as carotenoids (antioxidants in the yellow, orange, and red pigments of vegetables and fruits) compared to people who ate no raw vegetables. Even one serving a day, just a half cup of raw vegetables, got people closer to the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for those vitamins, according to the September 2006 Journal of the American Dietetic Association.