Veggies More Dangerous Than Beef

At least when it comes to carrying diseases
By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 29, 2014 12:28 PM CDT
Veggies More Dangerous Than Beef
A variety of fruits and vegetables are displayed for sale at a market in Washington, Thursday, April 24, 2014.   (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

An apple a day keeps the doctor away—unless, of course, it's carrying a disease. Turns out that vegetables and fruits are actually worse than beef and pork when it comes to making people sick, reports Bloomberg, based on a CDC paper from last year. Experts looked at illnesses and hospitalizations from various kinds of foods between 1998 and 2008. Healthy stuff, including fruits and vegetables, accounted for some 46% of illnesses.

Leafy vegetables were responsible for the most illnesses, while dairy was responsible for the most hospitalizations. Beef ranked sixth in numbers of illnesses caused, behind fruits and nuts, and various vegetables; it ranked seventh in hospitalizations. Pork ranked even lower in both cases. But don't think the CDC is giving you an excuse to opt for a burger over broccoli: "Other factors, such as the health benefits of consuming a diet high in fruits and vegetables, must also be considered," the researchers say. (So if you're still determined to eat veggies, click to read about the top 10 "powerhouse" vegetables.)

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