Our mom always tells us to eat the greens on our plate. But have you ever thought about why she says so? Well, you can count your lucky stars because scientists have finally figured out the reason behind this. According to scientists, increased consumption of vegetables such as broccoli, Brussel sprouts, and cabbage leads to a lower risk of blood vessel diseases such as heart attack in older women.
Blood vessel diseases are the ones that lead to the formation of a clog in our arteries and veins. This can, in turn, affect the ability of the vessels to circulate blood, resulting in conditions such as heart attack or stroke. The main culprits behind the clogging of blood vessels are fatty build-up or calcium deposition inside the walls of larger vessels such as the aorta. This calcium and fatty build-up can lead to a heart attack or a stroke.
Author of the study from the University of Western Australia, Dr. Lauren Blekkenhorst, says, “In our previous studies, we identified those with a higher intake of these vegetables had a reduced risk of having a clinical cardiovascular disease event, such as a heart attack or a stroke, but we weren’t sure why. Our findings from this new study provides insight into the potential mechanisms involved behind the blood vessel diseases.”
The research has been published in the British Journal of Nutrition. For the purpose of the study, the researchers examined 684 older Australian women. The researchers concluded that women consuming a diet rich in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, etc. we’re at a lower risk of having plaque build-up in the blood vessels such as the aorta. Dr. Lauren Blekkenhorst says, “We have now found that older women consuming high amounts of cruciferous vegetables every day have lower odds of extensive calcification on their aorta. One particular constituent found abundantly inc cruciferous vegetables is vitamin K which may be involved in inhibiting the calcification process that occurs in the blood vessels.”
As per the results of the study, women consuming more than 45 g of cruciferous vegetables every day are at a 46% lower risk of developing blood vessel diseases. The author of the study says, “That’s not to say that the only vegetables we should be eating are broccoli, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts. We should be eating a variety of vegetables every day for overall good health and well-being. While observational in nature, this study design is central to progressing health.” The researchers also said that they are very thankful to the 684 Western Australian women who participated in the study.