Want to lower the risk of heart disease?
High vitamin C
concentrations in the blood from the intake of fruit and vegetables are
associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and early
death, a new large-scale study has found.
Researchers from the University of
Copenhagen and Herlev and Gentofte Hospital in Denmark studied data from
100,000 Danes and their intake of fruit and vegetables as well as their
DNA.
"We can see that those with the highest
intake of fruit and vegetables have a 15 per cent lower risk of
developing cardiovascular disease and a 20 per cent lower risk of early
death compared with those who very rarely eat fruit and vegetables",
said Camilla Kobylecki, a medical doctor and PhD student at the
Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital.
"At the same time, we can see that the
reduced risk is related to high vitamin C concentrations in the blood
from the fruit and vegetables", Kobylecki said.
Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant which
protects cells and biological molecules from the damage which causes
many diseases, including cardiovascular disease.
The human body is not able to produce vitamin C, which means that we must get the vitamin from our diet.
"Eating a lot of fruit and vegetables is
a natural way of increasing vitamin C blood levels, which in the long
term may contribute to reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and
early death", said Borge Nordestgaard, a clinical professor at the
Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, and a
consultant at Herlev and Gentofte Hospital.
"You can get vitamin C supplements, but
it is a good idea to get your vitamin C by eating a healthy diet, which
will at the same time help you to develop a healthier lifestyle in the
long term, for the general benefit of your health", said Nordestgaard.
The study has just been published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Source:PTI
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