Posts Tagged “cardiovascular health”
Cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of death worldwide. However, a new study highlighted strawberries as a natural and delicious way to support cardiometabolic health and control cholesterol, according to the California Strawberry Commission.
The research, conducted at the University of California at Davis and funded by the commission, consolidated the results of 47 clinical trials and 13 observational studies published between 2000 and 2023. The study revealed significant health benefits associated with regular consumption of strawberries (between 1 and 4 cups per day), especially for improving cardiometabolic health.
The study concluded that strawberries are packed with beneficial phytonutrients, such as polyphenols and fiber, which help lower LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels while reducing inflammation. This results in better overall heart health and improved management of cardiovascular risk factors.
Whether fresh, frozen, or freeze-dried, a daily dose of strawberries can have a substantial impact on cardiometabolic health, especially in people at increased risk for heart disease.
Furthermore, the study suggests that strawberries may help slow cognitive decline and protect against dementia, thanks to their rich flavonoid content. By improving lipid metabolism and reducing systemic inflammation, strawberries contribute to lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease.
“Our review found that regular consumption of strawberries not only lowers cholesterol but also helps reduce inflammation, which is a key factor in heart disease. This means that simply adding a cup of strawberries to your daily routine can significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular events,” commented Ph.D. Roberta Holt, lead researcher of the study from the University of California Davis.
The study was published in the September 2024 issue of Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition.
Daily prune consumption has promising effects on several biomarkers related to cardiovascular health, according to new research by the American Society of Nutrition (ASN).
The study was conducted in postmenopausal women and men 55 years and older, revealing that, in men, long-term prune consumption improved HDL cholesterol and the total cholesterol to HDL ratio, while decreasing oxidative stress and the inflammatory biomarker C-reactive protein.
HDL is commonly known as “good cholesterol”, and inflammatory biomarkers are released during tumor growth. They are highly associated with stages of cancer progression
Previous research has shown that daily prune consumption can support gut health, bone health, and weight management.
As for older women, consumption had no negative effect on various metabolic measures related to heart disease risk including total cholesterol, total triglycerides, fasting glucose, and insulin levels.
“We want to advance the research on this topic area to better understand how prune consumption relates to cardiometabolic health outcomes, especially in the aging population that often experiences an elevated risk for cardiovascular disease,” says Pennsylvania State University professor Mary Jane De Souza.
The results of both studies were presented at the ASN annual flagship meeting in Boston, MA recently.
“While all fruits and vegetables provide essential nutrients, prunes make for an easy, convenient and versatile snack or recipe ingredient that is accessible year-round and can help support consumers’ cardiovascular health goals,” adds Nutrition Advisor for the California Prune Board, Andrea N. Giancoli.
The ASN convenes researchers, practitioners, global and public health professionals, policymakers and advocacy leaders, industry, media, and other related professionals to advance nutrition science and its practical application.
Young adults can preserve their heart health decades later by eating fruits and vegetables, according to a new study published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation.The study concluded “higher intake of fruits and vegetables during young adulthood was associated with lower odds of prevalent coronary artery calcium after 20 years of follow-up,” according to the article. “Our results reinforce the importance of establishing a high intake of fruits and vegetables as part of a healthy dietary pattern early in life.”
Coronary artery calcium is used to measure the atherosclerosis, a disease that hardens arteries is a factor in many types of heart disease, according to a news release from the American Heart Association.
Researchers found that people who ate the most fruits and vegetables at the study’s start had 26% lower odds of developing calcified plaque two decade later, compared with the those who ate the least amount of fruits and vegetables, according to data from more than 2,500 study participants.
The research represents the first study to evaluate whether eating more fruits and vegetables as young adults could produce a measurable improvement in heart and blood veseels years later.
“People shouldn’t assume that they can wait until they’re older to eat healthy — our study suggests that what you eat as a young adult may be as important as what you eat as an older adult, ” lead author Michael Miedema, senior consulting cardiologist and clinical investigator at the Minneapolis Heart Institute, Minneapolis, Minn., said in the release.
“Our findings support public health initiatives aimed at increasing fruit and vegetable intake as part of a healthy dietary pattern,” Miedema said. “Further research is needed to determine what other foods impact cardiovascular health in young adults.”