Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide, claiming an estimated 17.9 million lives annually.
Many factors can contribute to heart disease, including diet, exercise habits, smoking, and genetic predisposition.
Recent research from Edith Cowan University, however, offers a simple dietary change that could have a significant impact on heart health.
The Power of Nitrate-rich Vegetables
Researchers have found that eating just one cup of nitrate-rich vegetables each day can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease.
Nitrates offer several health benefits, including blood pressure reduction and protective effects on blood vessels.
Foods highest in nitrates include beetroots, leafy greens like kale, arugula, chard, and spinach, as well as parsley, Chinese cabbage, leeks, celery, radishes, and turnips.
Impressive Study Results
The study examined data from over 50,000 people in Denmark participating in the Danish Diet, Cancer, and Health Study over a period of 23 years.
Researchers found that people who consumed the most nitrate-rich vegetables had about a 2.5 mmHg lower systolic blood pressure and a 12 to 26 percent lower risk of heart disease.
The greatest reduction in risk was for peripheral artery disease (26%), a type of heart disease characterized by narrowing of the blood vessels in the legs. Lower risks of heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure were also observed.
The results imply that eating one cup of raw (or half a cup of cooked) nitrate-rich vegetables each day can strongly reduce the risk of heart disease.
Supplements aren’t necessary for boosting nitrate levels; a simple cup of leafy green vegetables daily is sufficient. Researchers did not observe further benefits in people who consumed more than this amount.
They suggest simple hacks like adding a cup of spinach to a banana or berry smoothie as an easy way to increase daily leafy green intake.
The study, conducted by Dr. Catherine Bondonno and her team, offers valuable insights into diet-based interventions for heart disease risk reduction. It was published in the European Journal of Epidemiology.
If you care about heart health, please read studies about how eating eggs can help reduce heart disease risk, and herbal supplements could harm your heart rhythm.
For more information about heart health, please see recent studies about supplements that could help prevent heart disease, stroke, and results showing that a year of committed exercise in middle age reversed worrisome heart failure.
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