| New research suggests one reason vegetables | | | | Adams said it is not clear exactly how the |
| may be so good for us – a study in | | | | high-vegetable diet influenced the |
| mice found that a mixture of five common | | | | development of plaques in the artery walls. |
| vegetables reduced hardening of the arteries | | | | |
| by 38 percent compared to animals eating a | | | | “Although the pathways involved remain |
| non-vegetable diet. Conducted by Wake Forest | | | | uncertain, the results indicate that a diet |
| University School of Medicine, the research | | | | rich in green and yellow vegetables inhibits |
| is reported in the current issue of the | | | | the development of hardening of the arteries |
| Journal of Nutrition. | | | | and may reduce the risk of heart |
| | | | disease,†said Adams. |
| “While everyone knows that eating more | | | | |
| vegetables is supposed to be good for you, no | | | | He said that a 37 percent reduction in a |
| one had shown before that it can actually | | | | certain marker of inflammation in mice |
| inhibit the development of | | | | suggests that vegetable consumption may |
| atherosclerosis,†said Michael Adams, | | | | inhibit inflammatory activity. |
| D.V.M., lead researcher. “This suggests | | | | |
| how a diet high in vegetables may help | | | | “It is well known that atherosclerosis |
| prevent heart attacks and strokes.†| | | | progression is intimately linked with |
| | | | inflammation in the arteries,†Adams |
| The study used specially bred mice that | | | | said. “Our results, combined with other |
| rapidly develop atherosclerosis, the | | | | studies, support the idea that increased |
| formation on blood vessel walls of fatty | | | | vegetable consumption inhibits |
| plaques that eventually protrude into the | | | | atherosclerosis progression through |
| vessel’s opening and can reduce blood | | | | antioxidant and anti-inflammatory |
| flow. The mice have elevated low-density | | | | pathways.†|
| lipoprotein ( LDL), or “bad†| | | | |
| cholesterol, which is also a risk factor for | | | | Numerous studies in humans have shown that a |
| atherosclerosis in humans. | | | | high-vegetable diet is associated with a |
| | | | reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, as |
| Half of the mice in the study were fed a | | | | well as with reductions in blood pressure and |
| vegetable-free diet and half got 30 percent | | | | increases in “good†cholesterol. |
| of their calories from a mixture of | | | | This is believed to be the first study to |
| freeze-dried broccoli, green beans, corn, | | | | address the effect of increased vegetable |
| peas and carrots. These five vegetables are | | | | consumption on the development or progression |
| among the top-10 vegetables in the United | | | | of atherosclerosis. |
| States based on frequency of consumption. | | | | |
| | | | Despite compelling evidence supporting the |
| After 16 weeks, the researchers measured two | | | | health benefits of increased vegetable |
| forms of cholesterol to estimate the extent | | | | consumption, intake remains low, Adams said. |
| of atherosclerosis. In mice that were fed the | | | | The mean consumption is 3.2 servings per |
| vegetable diet, researchers found that | | | | days, with about 40 percent coming from |
| plaques in the vessel were 38 percent smaller | | | | starchy vegetables such as potatoes. |
| than those in the mice fed vegetable-free | | | | |
| diets. There were also modest improvements in | | | | The research was funded by the General Mills |
| body weight and cholesterol levels in the | | | | Company, which supplied the freeze-dried |
| blood. | | | | vegetables. |
| | | | |
| The estimates of atherosclerosis extent | | | | Co-researchers were Deborah Golden, B.S., |
| involved measuring free and ester | | | | Haiying Chen, Ph.D., Thomas Register, Ph.D., |
| cholesterol, two forms that accumulate in | | | | all with Wake Forest, and Eric T. Gugger, |
| plaques as they develop. The rate of this | | | | Ph.D., with the Bell Institute of Health and |
| accumulation has been found to be highly | | | | Nutrition, General Mills Company. The |
| predictive of the actual amount of plaque | | | | cholesterol analysis was performed by the |
| present in the vessels. | | | | Core Lipoprotein Laboratory of the Department |
| | | | of Pathology/Lipid Sciences at Wake Forest. |