Heart disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide, taking nearly 18 million lives each year.
It includes several conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels, such as heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, and diseases that reduce blood flow to the arms and legs.
Many factors can raise a person’s risk of heart disease. Smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, too little exercise, an unhealthy diet, stress, age, and family history can all play a role.
Now, research suggests that one simple food choice may help protect the heart. Scientists from Edith Cowan University found that regularly eating vegetables rich in natural nitrates was linked to lower blood pressure and a lower risk of several types of heart disease.
The research was published in the European Journal of Epidemiology. The study examined health and diet information from more than 50,000 people in Denmark who were followed for more than two decades.
Nitrates are natural compounds found in many vegetables. After we eat them, the body can turn them into nitric oxide, a substance that helps blood vessels relax and widen.
When blood vessels are more relaxed, blood can move through them more easily. This can help lower blood pressure and reduce the amount of work the heart must do to pump blood around the body.
Vegetables that are especially rich in nitrates include spinach, beetroot, kale, rocket, celery, radishes, and turnips. These foods also provide vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other plant compounds that may support overall health.
In the study, people who ate more nitrate-rich vegetables tended to have lower blood pressure. Their systolic blood pressure, which is the top number in a blood pressure reading, was about 2.5 mmHg lower on average.
That difference may sound small, but even modest reductions in blood pressure across a large population can matter. High blood pressure damages blood vessels over time and is a major risk factor for heart attacks and strokes.
The researchers also found that people with higher intakes of nitrate-rich vegetables had a 12% to 26% lower risk of developing different forms of heart disease. One of the strongest links involved peripheral artery disease.
Peripheral artery disease happens when arteries, often those supplying the legs, become narrowed or blocked. This reduces blood flow and can cause leg pain, slow-healing wounds, and other serious problems.
People who ate more nitrate-rich vegetables had about a 26% lower risk of this condition. Higher intake was also linked to lower risks of heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure.
Importantly, the researchers found that people did not need to eat huge amounts of vegetables to see the strongest benefits. About one cup of raw nitrate-rich vegetables, or roughly half a cup when cooked, each day appeared to be enough.
Eating more than this amount was not clearly linked to additional protection. This suggests that a small but regular change in diet may be more useful than occasionally eating very large servings.
Adding these vegetables to meals can be simple. Spinach can be mixed into a smoothie, rocket can be added to sandwiches and salads, and beetroot or cooked greens can be served with lunch or dinner.
Study researcher Catherine Bondonno said the findings highlight the potential value of vegetable-rich diets for heart health. The research also supports existing advice to eat plenty of vegetables rather than relying on supplements for individual nutrients.
Because this was an observational study, it cannot prove that nitrate-rich vegetables alone prevented heart disease. People who eat more vegetables may also have other healthy habits, although the researchers considered many factors that could influence the results.
Still, the findings add to growing evidence that everyday food choices can influence long-term heart health. A daily serving of nitrate-rich vegetables is an affordable and practical habit that may help keep blood vessels and the heart healthier over time.
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