There are many factors that cause heart diseases. Among these factors, unhealthy eating habits are at the top. There are a lot of misconceptions about the foods to be eaten to prevent heart diseases. According to the BBC’s report, researchers from Oxford and Bristol Universities and the University of Hong Kong asked about their daily dietary habits in a survey they conducted on approximately 400,000 people within the scope of their study on the British BioBank.
The survey also asked participants how much raw and cooked vegetables they ate each day. Participants reported that they ate an average of 2 heaping tablespoons of raw vegetables and 3 tablespoons of cooked vegetables. They monitored the participants over the next 12 years whether they had heart problems that required hospitalization or caused death.
WHO EAT RAW VEGETABLES LOWER LIKELY TO DIE OF HEART DISEASE
The researchers stated that those who eat the most vegetables have a 15 percent lower risk of dying from heart disease than those who eat the least, and this is especially noticeable in those who eat raw vegetables. On the other hand, this difference can be explained by lifestyle, including smoking and alcohol consumption, job, income and general diet. .
EXERCISE IS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN EATING VEGETABLES TO REDUCE HEART DISEASES
Researchers noted that the study did not determine a protective effect of vegetable consumption on how often cardiovascular diseases occur, and stated that balanced diet, exercise and lifestyle have more effects on these diseases. Oxford University’s Dr. Ben Lacey emphasized that the study revealed results that will help to understand the nutritional causes of cardiovascular diseases.
CONSUMING FIBER-RICH FOODS REDUCES THE RISK OF HEART DISEASES
Professor Naveed Sattar of the University of Glasgow, on the other hand, underlined that there is strong evidence that consuming foods such as fiber-rich vegetables is associated with less weight gain and reducing risk factors that lead to heart disease.
EAT AT LEAST 5 PORTIONS OF VEGETABLES AND FRUIT EVERY DAY
Arguing that the results of the study are open to discussion, Sattar said that these findings should not change the recommendation to consume at least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables per day. The World Health Organization recommends consuming at least 5 servings of vegetables and fruits every day.