A new scientific analysis that tracks the results of nearly 100 controlled scientific studies that focused on the effects of certain foods and vegetables on the human body has revealed.
Scientists and researchers at the University of Naples focused on the relationship between heart disease risk and dietary patterns, meaning that their analysis focused on studies that dealt with certain plant foods that may have a particularly strong effect in reducing the risk of death from different types of heart disease, and the results of the study were published in Journal of Cardiovascular Research.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in America, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In America every year, more than 868,000 people die from heart disease, stroke, or other cardiovascular disease.
According to the famous American magazine “Eat This, Not That”, which published a report on the results of the study indicating the effects of tomatoes and oil on heart disease, the results of the study confirmed that eating a diet rich in vegetables and little meat was associated with a lower risk of death from heart disease.
The study identifies certain foods that affect the human heart
The journal notes that the research findings went further, identifying specific foods that helped reduce the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs).
For vegetable types, higher consumption of leafy green vegetables and tomatoes compared to subjects with lower consumption was associated with a significant 17% and 10% reduction in the incidence of CHD of various types, respectively (depending on the amount of consumption),” the researchers wrote.
How do tomatoes protect the human heart?
The idea here, according to the source, is that when a person eats less meat and increases the intake of green leafy vegetables and tomatoes, the risk of heart disease decreases.
Tomatoes are rich in an antioxidant called lycopene, which has been shown to improve blood vessel function and help protect against disease.
Olive oil… green gold for a strong heart
The study showed that replacing butter rich in saturated fat with something rich in monounsaturated fat such as olive oil can also help reduce the risk of heart disease.
In one evaluation, researchers found that an increase in olive oil consumption of no more than 5 grams (for example, a tablespoon contains 13.3 grams) was associated with a reduction in the incidence of CHD of about 7%, and a decrease in the incidence of CVD of about 4%. It limited the death rates from cardiovascular diseases to about 8%.
The researchers found that eating at least two servings of vegetables each day was associated with a 34% lower risk of death from heart disease, with green vegetables and tomatoes having the most positive effects in the study.
In addition, limiting red meat and other processed meats (such as cured, canned, salami and sausage) to less than two servings per week can also help protect the heart in addition to limiting alcohol intake.