High fruit and vegetable diet reduces metabolic inflammation

Phase 1: High fruit and vegetable diet (12 servings/day) Phase 2:Low fruit and vegetable diet (2 servings/day) The study consisted of two dietary intervention phases, and the subjects participated in both interventions. Each dietary intervention lasted for 2 weeks and was separated by 2 weeks of wash-out period. Low-VF diet was composed of common foods providing 1 serving of vegetable and 1 serving of fruit each day. High-VF diet provided a total of 12 servings including 6 servings of vegetable and 6 servings of fruit. The composition of vegetable and fruit in high-VF diet consisted of 2 servings of dark green vegetable (e.g., spinach, broccoli, watercress); 2 servings of dark orange vegetable (e.g., carrots, sweet potatos); 2 servings of dark red product (e.g., watermelon, tomato); 2 servings of other vegetables (e.g., cruciferous vegetables, bracken, lotus root, burdock); 2 servings of vitamin C-rich fruits/juices (e.g., orange, strawberries); 2 servings of other fruits (e.g., grapes, bananas, peaches, kiwi). During the low-VF diet period, all subjects were supplied with dietary fiber powder, which corresponded to the fiber content of the vegetables and fruits supplied with high-VF diet period to maintain dietary fiber intake identical between two intervention diets since we aimed to evaluate the efficacy exerted by phytochemicals contained in fruits and vegetables other than dietary fiber. Meals were prepared in one batch. The average calorie intake and the proportion of macronutrients were also maintained similar.