Can plant foods prevent heart problems?

New research shows that nutritious plant foods provide a heart-healthy diet at any age. In two separate new studies, the authors found that both young adults and Postmenopausal women They get less cardiovascular disease if they eat a plant-based diet. The researchers highlighted consumption of a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grain products, nuts, legumes, and some vegetable oils.

Why plant foods can improve heart health

The research team investigated whether a long-term vegan diet of young adults reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease in middle age. Participants with higher scores ate a variety of beneficial foods, while those with lower scores ate more harmful foods. In general, higher values ​​correspond to a nutrient-rich vegetarian diet. The likelihood of developing heart disease decreased between the twenty-seventh years of the study for participants between the ages of 25 and 50. In turn, they also improved their nutritional quality by consuming more beneficial plant foods and less negatively rated animal products. It also reduced the risk of heart attack by 61%. This was much better compared to the participants, whose nutritional quality decreased the most during this time. In the second study, researchers looked at how a cholesterol-lowering diet affected the cardiovascular health of postmenopausal women.

The so-called “portfolio diet” consists of nuts, soy protein, beans or tofu, as well as fiber from oats, barley, okra, eggplant, oranges and apples. The results showed that plant-based foods significantly reduce the risk of heart failure in women. If the conservative dietary pattern was adhered to more closely, one could expect an association with fewer cardiovascular problems. Researchers believe the findings reveal new ways to reduce heart disease. Additionally, the results should encourage people to include more foods in their portfolio diet. However, the authors report the first And second studyThe results need further investigation in broader groups of younger men or women.