Green vegetables linked with better heart health

Getting more greens into your diet could cut your risk of heart disease and stroke by as much as 40 percent, according to new research from Edith Cowan University.

Researchers from ECU’s School of Medical and Health Sciences studied the diets of more than 1000 Western Australian women, focusing on nitrate intake derived from vegetables.

They found that over a 15 year period, those women who had the highest intake of nitrate from vegetables had up to a 40 percent lower risk of dying from heart disease or stroke.

Getting enough greens

PhD student Lauren Blekkenhorst said the research was built on her previous study that collated data from around the world on the measured nitrate concentration in commonly eaten vegetables.

Nitrate is a compound that is naturally present in the environment and is essential for plant growth.

“We found that leafy green vegetables, such as spinach, lettuce, and kale had the highest amounts of nitrate, followed by radish, beetroot, and celery,” she said.

“People get roughly 80 percent of their average nitrate intake from vegetables so they are the primary source.”

How much is enough?

Ms Blekkenhorst said about 75 g per day (1 serve) of green leafy vegetables would provide enough nitrate to achieve these health benefits.

“This is about one cup of raw vegetables which shouldn’t be too hard for all of us to eat daily,” she said.

How does it work?

Lead researcher, Dr Catherine Bondonno, said that the bacteria living in our mouths were critical for the cardiovascular health benefits observed.

“The bacteria living on our tongue break down the nitrate that we eat into another compound called nitrite. Nitrite and other breakdown products play a key role in regulating our blood pressure,” she said.

“This is the underlying mechanism that is resulting in the long-term improvements in heart health.”

(Source: Edith Cowan University, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition)