Vegetables are good for the body, no one should disagree on this. But it is also not entirely true that eating more vegetables reduces the risk of heart disease or stroke. That’s according to a study by UK researchers. News from the BBC
The study was conducted jointly by scientists from Oxford and Bristol Universities in the United Kingdom and the Chinese University of Hong Kong. The researchers collected data on the eating habits of at least four million people, all of whom volunteered for the UK Biobank study. In addition to the eating habits of the volunteers who took part in the study, information on how much they cooked and ate raw vegetables daily was also taken.
Researchers say that what people eat without vegetables or how much exercise they do during the day, in addition to the issues where people live in an environment, these also play a greater role in maintaining good health.
Researchers have focused on a balanced diet. They say that a balanced diet reduces the risk of many diseases, such as cancer.
The researchers said that the study did not find any evidence of a ‘protective effect of eating vegetables’ on the number of times heart disease and circulatory problems occurred.
Dr. Oxford University. “This is important research to understand the association of heart disease with eating habits,” said Ben Lacey.
The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) and health consultants recommend eating at least five types of fruits and vegetables daily.
The average people who took part in the study reported that they ate two tablespoons of raw vegetables and three tablespoons of cooked vegetables a day. Their health was then monitored for the next 12 years. Observations showed that they had to go to the hospital or die due to a heart problem.
According to researchers, those who eat less vegetables have a 15 percent lower risk of heart disease than those who eat more vegetables. However, it also involves issues of human life. That is, whether they smoke or how much alcohol they consume. In addition, the person’s job and income are also involved with it.
But Naveed Sattar, a professor of metabolic medicine at the University of Glasgow, said fibrous foods, such as vegetables, “help reduce weight and reduce the risk of things known to cause heart disease.” There is ‘good experimental evidence’ in this regard. He added that the results of the study could be disputed. However, the advice to eat at least five fruits and vegetables a day should not be changed. Sadly, many in the UK lack it. Steps need to be taken to encourage people to eat better vegetables.
Meanwhile, a study published in the nutrition magazine Frontiers in Nutrition found that those who ate large amounts of raw vegetables had a lower risk of heart disease. This is because when vegetables are cooked, important nutrients like vitamin C are lost.
Cooking oils and fats increase the levels of sodium and fat in the body, which is known to increase the risk of heart disease. People who eat a lot of vegetables eat less calories and less fat. As well as taking more vitamins and anti-oxidants, which are able to prevent damage to body cells.