A large study from Edith Cowan University in Australia has found that eating just one cup of nitrate-rich vegetables every day may strongly lower the risk of heart disease. This is important because heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, responsible for nearly 18 million deaths each year.
Nitrate is a natural substance found in certain vegetables. It can help protect blood vessels and lower blood pressure, both of which are important for heart health. Some vegetables are especially high in nitrate. These include leafy greens like spinach, kale, arugula, and chard, as well as beetroot, parsley, celery, radishes, leeks, Chinese cabbage, and turnips.
To see how these vegetables affect heart health, the researchers looked at data from over 50,000 adults in Denmark. These people took part in a large health study called the Danish Diet, Cancer, and Health Study, which followed them for more than 20 years. The researchers wanted to know whether people who ate more nitrate-rich vegetables had better heart health.
The findings were clear. People who ate the most nitrate-rich vegetables had slightly lower blood pressure—about 2.5 mmHg lower in systolic pressure, which is the top number in a blood pressure reading.
More importantly, these people also had a much lower risk of heart disease. Their chances of developing conditions like heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure were between 12% and 26% lower than those who ate the least.
One of the biggest benefits was seen in people with peripheral artery disease, which happens when blood vessels in the legs become narrow. People who ate more nitrate-rich vegetables were 26% less likely to develop this condition.
The researchers found that the best results came from eating just one cup of raw, nitrate-rich vegetables per day, or about half a cup if the vegetables were cooked. Eating more than that didn’t seem to offer extra protection. This suggests that even small changes in daily diet can have a big impact on long-term heart health.
The study also highlighted that there’s no need to take nitrate supplements. Natural sources—like vegetables—are enough. In fact, the body may use nitrate more effectively when it comes from food rather than pills.
Dr. Catherine Bondonno, who led the study, said that a simple way to get your daily dose of leafy greens is by adding a cup of spinach to a fruit smoothie. This is an easy and tasty way to improve heart health without much effort.
The research adds to growing evidence that what we eat every day has a powerful effect on our health. By including just one cup of leafy greens or other nitrate-rich vegetables in our meals, we may be able to lower our risk of heart disease without needing any special diet plans or medications.
The full study was published in the European Journal of Epidemiology and shows how small steps—like eating more vegetables—can make a big difference over time.
If you care about heart health, please read studies about top 10 foods for a healthy heart, and how to eat right for heart rhythm disorders.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how to eat your way to cleaner arteries, and salt and heart health: does less really mean more?
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