Fruit and vegees - ABC 33/40 - Birmingham News, Weather, Sports

Mom was right about the fruit!

Mom always said to eat your fruit and vegetables.

She is once again proven right.

A new study shows a diverse diet of fruits and vegetables may decrease the risk of lung-cancer -- even in smokers.

Researchers from the Netherlands studied the diets of more-than 450-thousand participants.

16-hundred of them were diagnosed with lung-cancer.

The scientists found -- regardless of the amount -- those who ate a variety of fruits and veggies seemed to decrease their risk of lung cancer.

In particular -- the risk of one specific type called squamous cell carcinoma, which is common in smokers.

Doctors believe fruits and vegetables contain many bio-active compounds that are known to fight certain cancers.

However -- even though the data is impressive, the American Cancer Society warns there is no better way to fight lung cancer than to avoid smoking.