Heart Disease and Vegetarian Nutrition
- A study in Spain found that the consumption of cooking oils that had deteriorated from overuse, was associated with an increased risk of hypertension.
- Human studies have shown that flaxseed meal can modestly reduce serum cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels, reduce postprandial glucose absorption, decrease some markers of inflammation. Hence, flaxseed may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. It is a rich source of lignans (a phytoestrogen), alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3), and soluble fiber.
- In the Los Angeles Atherosclerosis study researchers found that eating foods rich in soluble fiber was associated with a decrease in the atherosclerotic lesions in the carotid arteries.
- Soy, garlic, and purple grapes have antithrombotic effects, while monounsaturated-fat-rich plant foods may also have a protective role in blood clotting.
- Subjects with elevated blood lipid levels can experience 30% reduction in their LDL cholesterol levels (similar to that seen with statins, cholesterol-reducing drugs) by consuming a therapeutic diet that contains oats and barley, soy protein and almonds, and plant sterol-enriched margarines.
- A review of recent studies showed that oatmeal, barley, soy, and soft margarines containing added plant sterols all lower LDL cholesterol levels.
- When subjects, who had elevated cholesterol levels, were fed foods low in saturated fat and high in plant sterols, soy protein, and water-soluble fibers for one month, their LDL cholesterol levels dropped 29 percent, a response similar to that seen in subjects eating a control diet and taking Mevacor, a costly lipid-lowering drug that has side effects.
- Adults consuming a diet containing 22 g of cocoa powder and 16 g of dark chocolate a day experienced increased levels of HDL cholesterol and a decreased susceptibility of oxidation of LDL cholesterol, and hence a reduced risk of cardio-vascular disease. The procyanidins in cocoa are thought to provide the protective effects. The same compounds are also found in apples.
- A study in Norway found that individuals who usually drank about 4 cups of coffee a day experienced a significant decrease in plasma homocysteine and total cholesterol levels when they abstained from coffee for six weeks. Lower levels of these two substances are associated with a decreased risk of heart disease.
- The daily use of pomegranates was observed to reduce one's blood pressure and protect against cardiovascular disease.
- Consumption of pecans in a cholesterol-lowering diet produced a further 10 percent reduction in LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels while producing a slight rise in good HDL cholesterol level.
- The risk of cardiovascular disease among female health professionals consuming a high intake of fruit and vegetables (median of 10.2 servings/day) was 32 percent lower than for those consuming a low intake (median of 2.6 servings/day).
- Harvard researchers report that women aged 45 and older who walked for up to one hour a week reduced their risk of heart disease by 14% compared to women who did not exercise. For those who walked up to 1.5 hours a week, the risk reduction was 51%. These results were true for overweight women and for those with high cholesterol levels, but not for women with high blood pressure.
- Twenty-five healthy adults with elevated blood lipids experienced a 21% increase in their HDL cholesterol levels and a 16% decrease in LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio after drinking 3 cups of orange juice a day for 4 weeks. Such changes are associated with a lower risk of heart disease.
- The use of rye bread may offer a practical means of reducing serum cholesterol levels in men. After four weeks of consuming rye bread (which comprised one-fifth of their daily calories), the serum cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels of 18 men decreased about 10 percent while their triglyceride levels were unaffected. When wheat bread was consumed blood lipids were unaltered.
- Numerous studies have shown that nuts can lower cholesterol levels in persons with elevated blood cholesterol levels. A new study reveals that 68g (2.4 ounces) of pecans a day lowered the LDL cholesterol levels by about 10 percent in men and women with normal blood lipid levels.
- Subjects in Oklahoma who followed a vegan diet and participated in moderate exercise and stress management experienced a 13 percent drop in blood levels of homocysteine after only 1 week. Serum homocysteine level is a predictor of risk of heart attack and stroke.
- A daily intake of 10 grams of psyllium, a type of soluble fiber found in bulk laxatives, produced a 4 percent drop in cholesterol levels after 8 weeks in subjects who had mild to moderately high blood cholesterol levels.
- Researchers in Los Angeles report that the rate of heart attack deaths are 33 percent higher during the year-end holiday season (Dec/Jan) than in the summer months of June through September. Changes in food and alcohol consumption and holiday stress were suggested as possible reasons for the rate change.
- Data from a national survey showed that people who consumed beans 4 or more times a week had a 19 percent reduction in risk of heart disease compared to those who ate beans only once a week.
- In the Women's Health Study, an increased fruit and vegetable intake decreased the risk of cardiovascular disease. Women with the highest total fruit and vegetable intake (10.2 servings/day) had a 32 percent lower risk of CVD compared to women consuming the lowest intake (2.6 servings/day). When women who came into the study with diabetes, hypertension, or high cholesterol where excluded, the highest fruit and vegetable intake was associated with a 55 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Japanese men and women who ate vegetables 6 to 7 days/week reported 58 percent lower risk of stroke than those who ate vegetables less than 2 days/ week.
- Middle-aged women in Boston who ate an average of about 3 servings a day of whole grain products were 43% less likely to suffer a stroke than women who consumed very little whole grain products.
- Researchers in Scotland found that deaths from heart disease were 3 percent higher on Monday compared to other days. Monday deaths were greatest among persons under 50, probably due to binge drinking over the weekend.
- Chocolate and apples contain high levels of procyanidins, antioxidants that modulate immune function and diminish blood clot formation. The highest levels of these health-promoting substances are found in Red Delicious and Granny Smith apples.
- Middle-aged men in Boston who consumed higher levels of red meat, processed meat, refined grains, sweets and desserts, French fries, and high-fat dairy products had a 64 percent higher risk of heart disease than men consuming lower levels of these foods.
- Two new cholesterol-lowering margarines (Benecol and Take Promise) are hot items on the market right now. These margarines are fortified with plant sterols which block cholesterol absorption. Various studies show they can lower elevated blood cholesterol levels by as much as 10 percent. However, new research shows that persons using these margarines experienced a 25-30 percent drop in their blood levels of beta-carotene, a change that may result in reduced protection against cancer and heart disease. Plant sterols are naturally found in legumes, nuts and seeds.
- Beginning next year, the FDA has decided to require nutrition labeling that clearly states how much trans fat a product contains. Crackers, cookies, doughnuts, french fries and margarine all contain trans fat, a fat that raises the risk of heart disease by raising LDL cholesterol and lowering HDL cholesterol levels.
- Low-fat diets have become very popular since the media has pushed the notion that all fat is bad for your health. However, low-fat diets are not considered ideal by some scientists because they can increase blood triglyceride levels and lower HDL cholesterol levels. A diet that contains 30 - 35 percent fat does not seem to be detrimental and actually improves cardiovascular risk factors as long as the fat comes from monounsaturated fat, such as nuts, avocado, olives and olive oil. In a recent report, 22 healthy men and women, aged 21 to 54 years, with a mean cholesterol level of only 188 mg/dl, were fed a diet rich in monounsaturated fat, derived from peanuts and peanut butter. On this diet they experienced a 14 percent drop in LDL cholesterol levels and a 13 percent drop in blood triglycerides while their HDL cholesterol levels were unchanged.
- There is a surge of interest in functional foods , that is, those foods that are rich in health-promoting phytochemicals. In a new study from the University of Wisconsin, grape juice was shown to improve blood flow by 6.4 percent and protect LDL from oxidation by 35.4 percent. Earlier research revealed that the flavonoids in grape juice decreased the tendency of blood clots to form. Together, these results suggest that the regular use of grape juice (rich in phytochemicals) will help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Grape juice is certainly a safer way to achieve protection against heart disease than wine.
- The analysis of 3 dozen dietary intervention studies that followed the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) for reduction of cardiovascular risk factors found that blood lipids were reduced about 10-15 percent. For every 1 percent decrease in energy consumed as dietary saturated fat, cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels decreased by 2 mg/dl and HDL cholesterol increased by 0.4 mg/dl. Exercise resulted in greater decreases in LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels and prevented the decrease in HDL cholesterol associated with low fat diets.
- Increased coffee consumption was found to be associated with higher blood levels of homocysteine, recently shown to be an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
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