Why do we need a varied diet

In 2010, a study conducted in 10 European countries showed that eating a variety of fruits and vegetables reduces lung cancer risk by as much as 23 per cent. That’s just the most recent evidence that diverse diets are ideal. Our bodies require among other things, amino acids, fats and vitamins to function. We can get vitamin C–which assists in biochemical reactions, helps heal wounds and acts as antioxidant–from many fruits and vegetables. Fats, a main source of energy, are found in nuts, fish and oils. And animal products, legumes and grains provide nine amino acids vital for building proteins, the structural components of our cells.