Emerging evidence reinforces what longtime folk wisdom already suggested: consuming plenty of fruits and vegetables isn’t just good for general health—it may also protect ageing muscles and stave off frailty. A comprehensive meta-analysis pooling cohort data concluded that older adults with the highest fruit and vegetable consumption experienced nearly a 62% lower odds of developing frailty compared to those with the lowest intake (pooled OR = 0.38, 95% CI 0.24–0.59), underscoring strong dose-response relations. ([Meta-analysis, 2021]).
Even more recent data, including a study across low- and middle-income countries, show that inadequate daily intake of ≥2 servings of fruit and ≥3 servings of vegetables was associated with 41% higher odds of injurious falls in adults over 50—partly because poor intake can impair mood, cognition, and energy. ([Smith et al., 2025]).
In India, frailty among older urban adults is already pervasive—nearly 20% of people aged 60+ in Hyderabad were found to be frail, with those in the frail group showing significantly lower adequacy of micronutrient intake. (Shalini et al., 2020). This reinforces how critical it is that fruits and vegetables—rich in antioxidants, fibre, and vital micronutrients—be staples in our diets well before frailty sets in.
We’ve also seen foods moving beyond observational data into real-world performance benefits. A placebo-controlled trial (n=20 well-trained men) who consumed raw spinach—1 gram per kilogram of body weight per day—for two weeks before running a half-marathon found significantly lower markers of oxidative stress (malondialdehyde, protein carbonyls) and muscle damage (creatine kinase), compared to placebo. In effect, spinach helped dampen the spike in muscle injury markers and facilitated faster recovery. (Bohlooli et al., 2015).
Supplementary evidence presented in 2025 further confirms that spinach extract can improve physical performance parameters in humans, reinforcing that this widely accessible green may deliver real functional benefits. (Wen et al., 2025).
For everyday practical benefit, Indian athletes or even recreational joggers could incorporate spinach—raw in salads or smoothies, or lightly cooked—into their pre-competition diet to support resilience and recovery. Spinach also remains a household staple in many Indian cuisines, making this strategy both culturally and economically viable.
Taken together, both observational and interventional data tell a clear story: higher fruit and vegetable consumption correlates with lower frailty risk and injurious falls in older adults, while specific foods like spinach can reduce oxidative stress and speed up recovery after intense exercise.
For India, where ageing populations are rising and access to clinical interventions may lag, promoting simple dietary habits—like daily servings of seasonal fruits and vegetables plus including greens like spinach consistently—could be a low-cost, scalable public health intervention to support healthy ageing and functional resilience.