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A Handful Of Leafy Greens A Day Can Keep Heart Conditions At Bay, According To Experts

Certain vegetables like beetroot and green leafy ones have high nitrate content.

A recent study has discovered a relationship that suggests consumption of these vegetables alleviates symptoms of high blood pressure and corresponding heart diseases.

A Handful Of Leafy Greens A Day Can Keep Heart Conditions At Bay, According To Experts

The proposition has been derived out of a survey carried out on 50,000 people for 23 years.

According to the research, including one cup of similar uncooked vegetables in daily diet maintains overall good health.

A Handful Of Leafy Greens A Day Can Keep Heart Conditions At Bay, According To Experts

What the research says.

The benefit associated with regular consumption of green vegetables is not unknown to those concerned about heart wellbeing.

A study from the Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Joondalup, WA, Australia suggests, nitrate-rich vegetables like green and beetroots can offer significant protection against cardiovascular conditions.

Researchers have observed prominent benefits of heart health in those who consumed a cup of those raw vegetables every day.

How vegetables enhance heart wellness.

Leafy greens like spinach, arugula, lettuce, parsley, or Chinese cabbage have nutrient-rich food value. 

Vegetables with similar nutrient profiles are beets, radishes, and fennel.

Scientists implied that although cooking these vegetables cut down their nitrate level by half, it is still potent enough to impart heart benefits.

According to Dr. Catherine Bondonno, the chief author of the ECU research, the most prominent benefit was observed in peripheral artery disease, which is characterized by constriction of blood vessels in the limbs.

She further stated, it also exhibited reduced instances of heart attacks, heart failures, and strokes. 

These findings are in correlation with the observations of four previous studies on the same subject.

What the statistics say…

According to the data of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 17.9 million heart-related fatalities occur every year around the world. 

The main cause for death among various social and ethnic sections in the US is heart disease.

In the USA, roughly 655,000 people die because of heart conditions on an annual basis, which accounts for one out of every 4 fatalities.

Observations arising out of the study.

The research was carried out for 23 years among 56,468 citizens of Denmark, termed as Danish Diet, Cancer, and Health study. 

In the survey, the people were required to answer a questionnaire that was later cross-checked with public health records.

The scientists analyzed the data, which revealed those with higher consumption of nitrate-rich vegetables showed 2.58 millimeters of mercury and controlled blood pressure. 

Whereas those who did not have such dietary consumption did not exhibit similar results.

The lowering of blood pressure was seen most in the group that had the highest nitrate-rich vegetable consumption.

The lowest and most controlled blood pressure was observed among those who took an average of 141 milligrams of nitrate daily. 

This equivalent to roughly 2 and a half cups of vegetables every day.

However, for hospitalized patients, the nitrate intake was constant at 59 milligrams each day, which did not improve the cardiac health of these patients.

How much nitrate is sufficient.

According to experts, the required amount of nitrate corresponds to one cup of uncooked or half cup of cooked vegetables a day. 

Consumption, according to this scale, ensures a healthy heart in a person.

However, it should be practiced in limitation, as overconsumption of nitrate can lead to methemoglobinemia (a medical condition where blood cells are unable to carry oxygen), as stated by Dr. Edo Paz of K Health.

According to Dr. Bondonno, to obtain the maximum goodness of vegetables, they should be consumed raw and not juiced since it washes off the pulp and fiber.

The recommended take is to blend the vegetables, as such, adding a cup of leafy green to the usual fruit smoothies. This enhances the taste as well as ensures the daily nitrate requisite is met.

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