Why are vegetables good

New research suggests one reason vegetables maythe vessels.
be so good for us – a study in mice foundAdams said it is not clear exactly how the
that a mixture of five common vegetables reducedhigh-vegetable diet influenced the development of
hardening of the arteries by 38 percent compared toplaques in the artery walls.
animals eating a non-vegetable diet. Conducted by“Although the pathways involved remain
Wake Forest University School of Medicine, theuncertain, the results indicate that a diet rich in green
research is reported in the current issue of the Journaland yellow vegetables inhibits the development of
of Nutrition.hardening of the arteries and may reduce the risk of
“While everyone knows that eating moreheart disease,” said Adams.
vegetables is supposed to be good for you, no oneHe said that a 37 percent reduction in a certain marker
had shown before that it can actually inhibit theof inflammation in mice suggests that vegetable
development of atherosclerosis,” said Michaelconsumption may inhibit inflammatory activity.
Adams, D.V.M., lead researcher. “This“It is well known that atherosclerosis
suggests how a diet high in vegetables may helpprogression is intimately linked with inflammation in the
prevent heart attacks and strokes.”arteries,” Adams said. “Our results,
The study used specially bred mice that rapidlycombined with other studies, support the idea that
develop atherosclerosis, the formation on blood vesselincreased vegetable consumption inhibits
walls of fatty plaques that eventually protrude into theatherosclerosis progression through antioxidant and
vessel’s opening and can reduce blood flow.anti-inflammatory pathways.”
The mice have elevated low-density lipoprotein ( LDL),Numerous studies in humans have shown that a
or “bad” cholesterol, which is also ahigh-vegetable diet is associated with a reduced risk of
risk factor for atherosclerosis in humans.cardiovascular disease, as well as with reductions in
Half of the mice in the study were fed ablood pressure and increases in
vegetable-free diet and half got 30 percent of their“good” cholesterol. This is believed
calories from a mixture of freeze-dried broccoli, greento be the first study to address the effect of
beans, corn, peas and carrots. These five vegetablesincreased vegetable consumption on the development
are among the top-10 vegetables in the United Statesor progression of atherosclerosis.
based on frequency of consumption.Despite compelling evidence supporting the health
After 16 weeks, the researchers measured two formsbenefits of increased vegetable consumption, intake
of cholesterol to estimate the extent ofremains low, Adams said. The mean consumption is
atherosclerosis. In mice that were fed the vegetable3.2 servings per days, with about 40 percent coming
diet, researchers found that plaques in the vessel werefrom starchy vegetables such as potatoes.
38 percent smaller than those in the mice fedThe research was funded by the General Mills
vegetable-free diets. There were also modestCompany, which supplied the freeze-dried vegetables.
improvements in body weight and cholesterol levels inCo-researchers were Deborah Golden, B.S., Haiying
the blood.Chen, Ph.D., Thomas Register, Ph.D., all with Wake
The estimates of atherosclerosis extent involvedForest, and Eric T. Gugger, Ph.D., with the Bell Institute
measuring free and ester cholesterol, two forms thatof Health and Nutrition, General Mills Company. The
accumulate in plaques as they develop. The rate ofcholesterol analysis was performed by the Core
this accumulation has been found to be highlyLipoprotein Laboratory of the Department of
predictive of the actual amount of plaque present inPathology/Lipid Sciences at Wake Forest.