Eating More Fruits and Vegetables Really Can Lower Your Heart Disease Risk

From everydayhealth.com

Plant-forward eating reduces the threat of high blood pressure, cholesterol, and obesity, according to a large new research analysis 

Key Takeaways

• Following a vegetarian or vegan diet can have a major positive impact on heart health, a new research analysis finds.
• Results showed that a vegan diet in particular reduced risks such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity.
• Some vegetarian foods are healthier than others. Avoid ultra-processed options and stick with a variety of fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, nuts, and other whole foods.

In the United States, heart disease (also known as cardiovascular disease) continues to be the No. 1 cause of death, taking the life of one person every 33 seconds.

Dietary changes, however, may play a major role reducing this risk.

A new analysis of 21 systematic scientific reviews found that people who followed a vegetarian or vegan diet over a nonvegetarian diet significantly lowered heart disease risk factors (such high blood pressure, cholesterol, and body mass index), and reduced the chances of dying from heart disease–related issues.

“Vegetarian, including vegan diets, were associated with a 15 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease in vegetarians compared to nonvegetarians,” says study author Reed Mangels, PhD, RDN, a registered dietitian-nutritionist and adjunct associate professor at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. “Diet is something you can take control of that can really make a difference. It can be challenging to adopt a plant-based diet, but it can be empowering.”

                                             Vegetables are full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that contribute to good health

                                                                                             Anna Puzatykh/iStock

Cutting Major Heart Disease Risks

The research highlights that vegan diets (which exclude any food from animals) in particular have a positive impact on cardiovascular disease risk factors such as blood pressure, LDL cholesterol (“bad” cholesterol), triglycerides, C-reactive protein (a marker for heart disease), and BMI (body mass index, an indication of obesity) when compared with nonvegetarian dietary patterns.

On average, a vegan diet was associated with significantly lower measures of: 

• Systolic blood pressure: 2.56 millimetres of mercury (mm/Hg) lower
• LDL cholesterol: nearly 19 milligrams per decilitre (mg/dL) lower
• BMI: 1.7 kilograms per meter squared (kg/m2) lower

“That type of BMI reduction could be enough to move someone from the obese to overweight category, or from overweight to normal. It could move you into a different category and reduce your risk,” says Dr. Mangels.

Quality of Vegetarian Diet Can Make a Difference

This research analysis has certain limitations. Mangels notes that the participant numbers differed according to the specific studies. For example, there were 50,000 subjects in studies analysing cholesterol and blood pressure in vegans, but more than 600,000 individuals in studies evaluating heart disease risk in vegetarians.

She adds that this investigation did not get into details about the types of vegetarian diets being followed, so results may have been even better if they only looked at research involving confirmed healthy vegetarian diets.

“The certainty of evidence was relatively low due to not being able to accurately track what people ate over a given amount of time,” says Christine Ryan, RDN, a registered dietitian-nutritionist in Seattle. “The research does not account for exercise, mindfulness, and other lifestyle behaviours, such as limited alcohol intake and not smoking.”

Ryan stresses, however, that the study backs up previous findings linking natural and unprocessed, plant-based whole foods to lower cardiovascular disease risks.

“Ultra-processed foods can contain isolated [synthetic] nutrients, added sugars, and salts that are not as healthy as whole food plant-based items,” says Ryan, who was not involved in the research. “Whole plant-based foods contain a variety of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that work together to allow our bodies to perform more efficiently.”

More fibre and lower saturated fats in a vegetarian diet can also contribute to cutting heart disease risk factors.

Getting More Plant-Based Foods in Your Life

For some people, adhering to a diet that is largely plant-based can be tough. Ryan advises that variety is key, and offers these suggestions:

• Try to eat as many fruits and vegetables that are in season.
• Eat the “rainbow” to ensure a range of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals are consumed.
• Make sure to include some sort of protein and healthy fat with each meal. Beans and nuts are excellent sources of protein. Try avocados and olives for healthy fats.
• Nuts and seeds are wonderful snacks when on the go.

https://www.everydayhealth.com/heart-health/fruits-and-vegetables-can-lower-heart-disease-risk/