A study appearing in The Lancet (Vol. 367, Issue 9507, 28 January 2006) looked at eight other studies and the impact eating fruits and vegetables had on the likelihood of stroke. The study analyzed research involving over 250,000 people from the US, Japan and Europe. It found that people who ate five or more servings of fruit and vegetables per day had a 26% reduction in risk for having a stroke when compared to people who ate three or fewer servings. A serving is defined in the study as 2.7 ounces for vegetables and 2.8 ounces for fruit. Fruit and vegetables are rich in nutrients like vitamin C, beta carotene, potassium and fiber. Plants are rich in antioxidants like bioflavonoids. The researchers suspect that potassium is an important factor in preventing stroke because it helps to lower blood pressure.