One of the leading causes of heart disease or heart attacks is high blood pressure, which affects 40 percent more blacks than whites. While there are a number of reasons a person can develop high blood pressure, the food we are putting into our bodies plays a major part. This is why many people have begun limiting or even eliminating meat from their diets and opting for a diet that includes more fruits and vegetables. Research shows that for people at any age, eating a healthy, plant-based diet is tied to a lower risk of heart attack and heart disease.
"A nutritionally rich, plant-centered diet is beneficial for cardiovascular health. A plant-centered diet is not necessarily vegetarian," Yuni Choi, a postdoctoral researcher in the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, in Minneapolis says."People can choose among plant foods that are as close to natural as possible, not highly processed."
Choi's study included nearly 5,000 U.S. adults enrolled in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study. They were aged 18 to 30 years and free of heart disease at the time of enrollment in 1985 to 1986.
During 32 years of follow-up, almost 300 participants developed cardiovascular disease, including heart attack, stroke, heart failure, heart-related chest pain or clogged arteries somewhere in the body.
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However, folks who ate the most nutritionally rich plant foods were 52% less likely to develop cardiovascular disease. The protective eating habits included consuming plenty of fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts and whole grains, and fewer unhealthy animal products such as high-fat red meat.
The researchers also found that participants who improved their diet the most between ages 25 to 50 were 61 percent less likely to develop heart disease than those whose diet quality declined the most during that time.
Because there were few vegetarians among the participants, the study wasn't able to assess the possible benefits of a strict vegetarian diet that excludes all animal products, including meat, dairy and eggs.
"We think that individuals can include animal products in moderation from time to time, such as non-fried poultry, non-fried fish, eggs and low-fat dairy," Choi says.
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The other study included more than 123,000 participants in the Women's Health Initiative. This is a long-term U.S. study looking at prevention and early detection of serious health conditions in postmenopausal women.
The women in this new analysis enrolled in the study between 1993 and 1998 when they were between ages 50 to 79 (average age 62) and did not have cardiovascular disease. They were followed until 2017 to see if the so-called Portfolio Diet reduced their risk of heart problems.
The Portfolio Diet includes nuts; plant protein from soy, beans or tofu; viscous soluble fiber from oats, barley, okra, eggplant, oranges, apples and berries; and plant sterols from enriched foods and monounsaturated fats found in olive and canola oil and avocados. Intake of saturated fats and dietary cholesterol is limited.
Women who followed the Portfolio Diet most closely were 11 percent less likely to develop any type of cardiovascular disease, 14 percent less likely to develop coronary heart disease and 17 percent less likely to develop heart failure, compared to those who followed the diet less frequently, the researchers found.
"These results present an important opportunity, as there is still room for people to incorporate more cholesterol-lowering plant foods into their diets," Dr. John Sievenpiper, an associate professor of nutritional sciences and medicine at the University of Toronto, in Canada says.
"With even greater adherence to the Portfolio dietary pattern, one would expect an association with even less cardiovascular events, perhaps as much as cholesterol-lowering medications. Still, an 11 percent reduction is clinically meaningful and would meet anyone's minimum threshold for a benefit. The results indicate the Portfolio Diet yields heart-health benefits," Sievenpiper adds.
Eating More Fruits and Vegetables
If you are struggling with ways to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your diet, try these tips, according to the American Cancer Society:
- At each meal, fill at least half of your plate with fruits and vegetables
- Layer lettuce, tomatoes, beans, onions, and other vegetables on sandwiches and wraps
- Add tomato sauce and extra vegetables to pastas and vegetable soups
- Choose a vegetarian dish when eating out
- Challenge yourself to try new vegetables from the produce aisle, frozen foods section, or your local farmer’s market
- Keep dried fruits in your desk drawer and glove compartment (but watch the sugar content!)
- Keep a bowl full of fresh veggies and fruits on your kitchen counter for quick snacking
- If you’re short on time, look for pre-washed, pre-cut vegetables, such as baby carrots and broccoli florets, at the grocery store
