Food as medicine: Doctors are prescribing broccoli and bananas alongside beta blockers

The goal, backed by some research, is to improve health and reduce costs by subsidizing fresh produce such as broccoli and grapefruit in addition to insulin and beta blockers.

“What we are hoping to find is there is a return on investment for the health-care system: a reduction in ER visits, medication compliance,” said Lauren Shweder Biel, executive director of DC Greens, a nonprofit group that is managing the District’s Produce Rx pilot. “That’s the holy grail for systems like this.”

Improved diet is also a target.

“I was trying to manage my patients’ diabetes and high blood pressure, but when they were telling me they were eating Top Ramen, doughnuts and bagels because it keeps them full, all I could say was ‘That’s too bad, here’s some more drugs,’?” said Rita Nguyen of the San Francisco Department of Public Health, who now oversees an expanding produce prescription program at six clinics.

Read more at the Washington Post