When we were kids, we were always told to eat lots of fruits and vegetables so we could keep our minds and bodies healthy. According to a new study published by Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, not only does eating a variety of produce improve one’s overall health, it may also reduce the risk of some kinds of lung cancer for smokers.

While quitting the stick is still the most important and effective way to decrease lung cancer risk, H. Bas Bueno-de-Mesquita of the Netherlands-based National Institute for Public Health and the Environment says that consuming a mix of different types of fruits and vegetables may also reduce risk, independent of the amount.

After observing more than 450,000 people residing in Europe, 1,600 of whom were diagnosed with lung cancer, Bueno-de-Mesquita and his team concluded that it wasn’t so much the quantity of vegetables and fruits that mattered, but rather, the variety. The researchers studied 26 commonly eaten vegetables and 14 commonly eaten fruits, including fresh, canned, and dried products.

Fruits and vegetables contain various bioactive compounds. To ensure the body contains a rich mix of these substances, Bueno-de-Mesquita suggests that one consume a variety of their sources. It is not enough to simply eat the recommended dietary amounts.

The study concludes that diversifying one’s vegetable and fruit consumption substantially decreases the risk of Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC), a common skin cancer that may also affect the lungs, mouth, esophagus, urinary bladder, or genital area.

Despite this, I wouldn’t advise smokers to simply load up different kinds of fruits and vegetables. Of course, the only sure and proven way to reduce the risk of cancer remains to be the avoidance of tobacco in all its forms.

As always, be sure to consult a physician or nutritionist before making drastic changes to your diet.