A cup a day of vegetables with nitrates reduces the risk of heart disease

Eating a cup of nitrate-rich vegetables a day can be a great idea for maintaining a healthy heart. According to a schoolwork published in the European Journal of Epidemiology, people who consume a cup of nitrate-rich vegetables a day may have lower blood pressure and a 12-26% lower risk of heart disease .

Nitrate-rich vegetables include green leafy vegetables such as spinach, spinach, cabbage and arugula. Beets, celery, radishes, turnips, bok choy and parsley are also rich in nitrates .

"Our results showed that by consuming only one cup of raw, nitrate-rich vegetables (or half a cup of cooked vegetables) every day, people can significantly reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease," said Catherine Bondonno, lead author. . of the study. , at MarketWatch.  .

"The greatest reduction in risk was in peripheral artery disease, a type of heart disease characterized by narrowing of the blood containers in the legs; however, we also found that people have a subordinate risk of myocardial infarction, stroke and heart failure, ”Bondonno said .

 

In this prospective Danish cohort study, an inverse association was observed between the consumption of plant nitrates, up to 60 mg / day, and hospitalizations for cardiovascular diseases. Specifically, moderate to high nitrate intake has been associated with a lower risk of ischemic heart disease, ischemic stroke, peripheral arterial sickness, and heart failure . 

Higher plant nitrate intake was also associated with lower baseline diastolic and systolic blood pressure. According to the study, the results suggest that ensuring the consumption of nitrate-rich vegetables, corresponding to about a cup of green leafy vegetables a day, could reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

Nitrates are found naturally in vegetables because they absorb them from the soil. In our body, they become nitrites.

If you are single of those who are struggling to get enough leafy greens, Bondonno suggests adding them to a smoothie. "Mixing green leaves is good, but don't squeeze them. Vegetable juice removes pulp and fiber ", explains the expert.

More than 50,000 people who initially did not have cardiovascular disease participated in the Danish study on diet, cancer and health. The study lasted 23 years.