Vegetables Protects Your Arteries

Eating vegetables can significantly protect your arteries from the accumulation of fatty deposits, according to a study on mice carried out at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. You can read about this study in the Journal of Nutrition.In this study, scientists used mice that are very susceptible to developing atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a condition in which fatty deposits (plaques) build up in the arteries - eventually blood flow is blocked and patients have a serious risk of heart attack or stroke. Half the mice received a diet rich in vegetables, including peas, corn, carrots, green beans and broccoli. The rest of the mice did not have any vegetables at all. Both groups of mice were fed the diets for 16 weeks, at the end of which scientists checked them for cholesterol content, bodyweight and plaques in the arteries. The vegetable-fed mice had 38% less plaques than the vegetable-free mice. The vegetable-fed mice also had a reduction of 37% in serum amyloid levels - serum amyloid is an indicator of inflammation. It is likely, said the researchers, that a high intake of vegetable may also lower inflammatory activity. The vegetable-fed mice also weighed less than the others and had lower levels of cholesterol. However, the scientists said the reduction in atherosclerosis was not necessarily due to the lower weight and cholesterol levels. Dr. Michael Adams, lead researcher, said that although we all know vegetable are supposed to be good for the health, no studies have yet shown that eating lots of vegetables can actually protect you from developing atherosclerosis. He added that the pathways involved remain uncertain. However, it is more evident now that vegetables do inhibit the hardening of the arteries, which in turn reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke. Scientists say this study is encouraging and that further studies are needed. Nutritionists say humans should consume five portions of fruit and/or vegetables per day. Many say we should include a variety of different colours of fruit and veg. Written by: Christian NordqvistEditor: Medical News Today Copyright: Medical News Today

Vegetable Nutrition For Healthy Life

Fruit and vegetables are brimming with fibre, plus a whole range of vitamins and minerals, and because they're low in calories, they make an important and healthy addition to any diet. Here is some information for you about vegetable nutrition. "Eat your fruits and vegetables" is one of the tried and true recommendations for a healthy diet, and for good reason. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can help you ward off heart disease and stroke, control blood pressure and cholesterol, prevent some types of cancer, avoid a painful intestinal ailment called diverticulitis, and guard against cataract and macular degeneration, two common causes of vision loss."5 A Day" is a national health programme in the USA and also in the UK to explain why you need vegetable nutrition as well as fruit and to encourage you to eat more servings of fruit and vegetables every day. People all over the world are becoming more and more aware of how important fruit nutrition and vegetable nutrition is to stay healthy. In general, yellow and dark green vegetables are excellent sources of vitamin A. Green leafy vegetables are rich in calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamin C and many of the B vitamins. The greener the leaf, the richer the nutrients will be. Here are some suggestions to think about color to pack nutritional power in your diet: · White: Eat cauliflower more often than potatoes, onions and mushrooms.· Green: Add more dark lettuces, such as romaine and red leaf lettuce, spinach, broccoli and Brussels sprouts to replace iceberg lettuce and green beans. · Yellow-orange: Substitute more carrots, winter squashes, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, oranges and grapefruit for corn or bananas. · Red: Select tomatoes, red peppers and strawberries in favor of apples. If you are trying to watch your weight, an idea is to make sure you are not eating too many calories if you are adding these foods to your diet. increasing the amounts of fruits and vegetables you eat can promote weight control, but only if they replace higher fat foods like ice cream, meat and chips to help you consume fewer calories. But if fruits and vegetables are simply added to what you already eat, total calories won't significantly drop and weight loss should not be expected. The most important thing to do is to vary the fruit and vegetables that you eat from day to day. This is to give your body a variety but to also keep you interested in your food. There are always great new recipes, ideas and ways to make your food look and taste great! by: Shelley Green