Phytonutrients, found in fresh fruits and vegetables, has beneficial

Question

Phytonutrients, found in fresh fruits and vegetables, has beneficial effects on the human cardiovascular system. Because heart disease is a major health concern, American doctors should encourage all people, especially those with heart disease, to eat a diet high in fresh fruits and vegetables.

Which of the following, if true, provides the most support for the argument above?

(A) the combination of soluble and insoluble fibers found in whole grains also support heart health
(B) a large percentage of those who suffer heart disease in the United States do not live close to large agricultural area where fruits and vegetables are grown
(C) smoking cigarettes is a much more serious health risk than the lack of fresh fruits and vegetables in one's diet
(D) vegetarians tend to live longer than folks in the general population
(E) folks with heart disease who eat few or no fresh fruits and vegetables have heart attacks at a much higher rate than do the folks who eat those foods.

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Bunuel · Answer

Magoosh Official Explanation:

This argument has a relatively well-accepted conclusion: all people, and especially those at risk for heart disease, should eat a diet high in fresh fruits and vegetables. It's already a strong from familiarity, and we want to make it stronger.

(E) is the credited answer. If folks with heart disease who don't eat fruits and vegetables are much more likely to have heart attacks, then that is another huge piece of evidence in favor of the conclusion that fruits and vegetables are so important for heart health.

(A) is true but irrelevant. The fact that whole grains are also healthy give no additional evidence as to why fresh fruits and vegetables are so important.

(B) is entirely irrelevant. In our modern day and age, fruits and vegetables are shipped all over the world. One does not need to live close to a farm to have these as a regular part of one's diet.

(C) is true but also irrelevant. Smoking is bad, but this tells us nothing about why fresh fruits and vegetables are good.

(D) is too open-ended. To be vegetarian implies an entire lifestyle ---- for example, it has high correlations with yoga, meditation, time in Nature, eating organic, and a number of other factors that can affect heart health. We have no way of knowing whether it is very specifically the fresh fruits and vegetables in the diet of vegetarians that gives them edge in heart health. There are just too many factors in play to draw such a specific conclusion.

NessQuik · Answer

I think the correct choice is misleading. It says that those who suffer from heart disease and do not eat fresh fruits and vegetables have heart attacks at a higher rate than THOSE WHO DO NOT EAT FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.

The description of the second group of people does not explicitly include people with heart disease.

Am I missing something or the correct choice is indeed misleading?

miag · Answer

Hi,

I am not quite sure what your doubt is actually but let me try to clarify. We are looking for something that will strengthen the statement that "American doctors should  encourage all people (focus on this part) , especially those with heart disease to eat diets high in fruits and veg. E) does that by showing that those suffering from heart disease who eat less/no fresh fruits and veggies have higher frequency of heart attack occurances. We don't really need the second part of the statement to explicitly mention people with heart disease.

>> As long as the option shows that there are positive benefits or that you are reducing some negative risk from eating veggies/fruit - this already helps make the case that doctors should encourage all people to eat diets in fruits and veg (those with heart disease is a subset of that)

Hope this helps!

Phytonutrients, found in fresh fruits and vegetables, has beneficial

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Phytonutrients, found in fresh fruits and vegetables, has beneficial

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