Only one in 10 Americans get the recommended five daily servings of vegetables and fruit. (We think nine should be your real goal.) So clearly, urging people to adopt a plant-based diet isn't working.

The good news is that you don't have to go full vegetarian to get the benefits. Maybe the latest research will inspire you to give a plant-forward diet a try.

A review in the journal PLOS ONE including 48 published studies found that if you replace animal-based foods with plant-based foods, you can reduce your risks for cardiometabolic diseases and gastrointestinal and prostate cancers, and have better blood pressure and blood sugar control, and a healthier weight.

And last year, another major review found that substituting nuts, legumes, and whole grains for processed and red meats extends your healthy lifespan.

But the PLOS study also cautions that a strictly plant-based diet can be low in important nutrients.

The solution? Adding fatty fish such as salmon. They provide inflammation-fighting omega-3s and potassium for heart health — and wild salmon offers an extra dose of vitamin D, which boosts immunity and bone strength.

Other nutrients you can’t get from plants include vitamin B12 for nerve health (in fish and nonfat dairy), muscle-building creatine (in chicken and turkey), and the omega-3 DHA that's found in fatty fish.

For a longer, healthier life, try a modified plant-based diet that includes skinless poultry and fatty fish.