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According to a study, a green vegetable that is increasingly found in our supermarkets could have the ability to reduce bad cholesterol and triglycerides. But what is this ultra-healthy product to add to your menu?
Nothing new under the sun: eating enough fruits and vegetables helps maintain good health and prevent certain diseases. But some products have remarkable properties that are worth knowing about. For example, one vegetable in particular is said to be particularly good for reducing cholesterol and therefore cardiovascular risks.
An increasingly popular Asian vegetable
You probably know this vegetable, even if it is not yet very common in our French cuisine. It is Chinese cabbage, otherwise known as pak choï. A cabbage with long green leaves, which looks like a chard plant, and which can be found in Asian grocery stores, the fruit and vegetable sections of supermarkets, but also in many greengrocers today.
Raw or cooked, its stems and leaves can be eaten in soup, with meat, or in salads. It is also known to be rich in fiber and antioxidants (polyphenols).
Cardioprotective effects according to a new study
A team of researchers recently proved this in the scientific journal Food & Function that, much more than other vegetables, pak choi was useful in protecting the heart and arteries.
To demonstrate its cardioprotective effect, the researchers conducted an experiment on 56 hamsters. These animals were randomly divided into several groups, each with a specific diet followed for 56 days:
- Normal regime (A);
- High fat diet (B);
- High-fat diet + the equivalent of 5% of their food bowl in Chinese cabbage (C);
- High fat diet + 7% Chinese cabbage (D).
After taking blood and liver samples over two months, the results showed that:
- Group B (who ate fatty foods and no Chinese cabbage) had significantly higher levels of total cholesterol and triglycerides compared to group A.
- Group D, which ate the most Chinese cabbage, had significantly reduced levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides and bad cholesterol and higher levels of “good” cholesterol compared to group B.
- Group C, which ate a little Chinese cabbage, did not see a significant effect.
Therefore, the authors conclude that regular and significant consumption of Chinese cabbage could be an excellent natural alternative to reduce the accumulation of cholesterol in the body. However, these results must be confirmed and conducted on humans. But nothing prevents you from varying the vegetables and cooking pak choi today.