Fruits

"Salad cakes" -- a new craze in Japan -- offer exactly that experience.

Nagoya native Mitsuki Moriyasu, a cafe owner and food stylist, in 2015 invented what she calls the "Vegedeco Salad" (decorated vegetables) as a guilt-free alternative to traditional baked goods.

These sinless sweets substitute cream "frosting" for that made out of tofu, a "sponge" base for one of soy powder, eggs and vegetable oil, while the rainbow hues that decorate the "icing" come from natural vegetable colorings such as red beetroot juice.

The study, by Imperial College London, says consuming 10 portions per day, or about 800g, could prevent an estimated 7.8 million premature deaths worldwide.

The World Health Organization (WHO) currently recommends eating 5 portions, or 400g, of fruit and vegetables every day.

In recent years, campaigns in countries across the world including the UK, Germany, France, Norway and Japan have been launched in a bid to encourage people to meet this target.

The study, by Imperial College London, calculated such eating habits could prevent 7.8 million premature deaths each year.

The team also identified specific fruit and veg that reduced the risk of cancer and heart disease.

The analysis showed even small amounts had a health boon, but more is even better.

A portion counts as 80g (3oz) of fruit or veg - the equivalent of a small banana, a pear or three heaped tablespoons of spinach or peas.

The conclusions were made by pooling data on 95 separate studies, involving two million people's eating habits.

October is pear season, the one month of the year when pear flavor is at its tastiest, and it's something heavy drinkers should take note of: According to a government-funded study conducted in Australia, the Asian pear may be able to prevent feeling hungover after a night of drinking.

Add blueberries and pears to your grocery list. While you’re at it, apples,strawberries and grapes too. These are all among the fruits that Harvard researchers recommend for preventing long-term weight gain.

The study found that the nutritional content of specific fruits and vegetables has a strong impact on long-term weight gain or loss.