Coronary heart disease, which occurs when arteries that carry blood to the heart become blocked, is one among the leading causes of death. Two new studies reveal that fruits, vegetables and a diet low in fat can protect against heart disease.
Fruits and vegetables contain fiber, potassium, folate and antioxidants that lower the incidence of heart disease. Increased fruit and vegetable consumption also protects the diabetics against heart attack as well. Dr. Kaumudi J. Joshipura, Harvard University, the cheif investigator of the first study found that just one additional daily serving of fruit or vegetable lowered risk of heart diseases by 4%. Spinach, kale, broccali, oranges and grape fruits offered the most protection, results show. "The mechanisms through which vegetables and fruits protect against heart disease are likely to multiple," Joshipura concluded.Diets low in fats and rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, improved the blood flow in men with high cholesterol, the second study reveals. "The beneficial effects of dietary intervension are not limited solely to its action on fat levels but also they influence other machanisms, opening up new perpectives for its protective effect on atherosclerosis," Dr. Francisco Fuentes of Hospital Universitario Reina Sofa in Cordoba, Spain and colleagues conclude.
