....The latest research shows that the foods we choose to eat—or not to eat—may increase
our life span or the quality of our lives. Not a day goes by, it seems, without feature news
stories about food and its impact on health. The message that we can reduce our chances of
developing cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, and other diseases by maintaining a healthy
weight, decreasing the fat and calories in our diets, eating more vitamin- and mineral-rich fruits
and vegetables, and getting fit is becoming a familiar one. As more research is done, the link
between diet and the risk of developing common diseases such as heart disease or cancer is
becoming clearer and clearer. Thanks to this research, we are beginning to understand the
dietary and lifestyle factors that are most likely to ensure a long, healthy life. And the good
news is that we can incorporate these factors into our own lives without sacrificing taste or
giving up the foods we enjoy, by discovering and eating tastier, nutritious fruits, vegetables,
and whole grains.