Category: Heart Disease

Researchers find that not all plant-based diets are healthy.

Plant-based diets high in foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, whole grains, legumes, olive oil, tea and coffee are healthiest for the heart, new research finds.

However, unhealthy vegetarian diets tend to contain juices, sugary drinks, sweetened beverages, potatoes, refined grains, and sweets including chocolates and desserts.

A study by Satija and colleagues shows that healthful plant-based diets dramatically reduce the risk of heart disease whereas unhealthful plant-based diets substantially increase the risk.

According to the research presented at the ESC Congress, a higher intake of healthful plant-based foods would lessen  cardiometabolic syndorme (CMS) and help obese people to retain their metabolic health in the long run.

CMS is a form of metabolic dysfunction and the signs are high blood pressure, increased blood sugar levels, insulin resistance, abnormal amount of lipids in the blood, and an increase in belly fat.

Dr. Matina Kouvari, the study’s first author, said:

“Our study highlights the variable nutritional quality of plant foods.

This finding was more evident in women.

Prior research has shown that women tend to eat more plant-based foods and less animal-based products than men.

But our study suggests that this does not guarantee healthier food choices and in turn better health status.”

Dietary studies often describe plant-based diets as “low in meat” or “vegetarian” and so all plant foods are assumed to be equal.

However, the type of plant-based foods and the amount consumed appear to be important.

A healthy plant-based product must be unprocessed or at least minimally processed.

The study looked into the connection between quality of plant foods and the intake levels on heart health.

A group of obese adults were followed for over 10 years and their dietary intakes were assessed using a food questionnaire that covered 156 foods and drinks.

By the end of study period half of the participants were metabolically unhealthy, exhibiting high blood glucose, high blood lipids, and high blood pressure.

However, health status didn’t drop for those who eat more plant-based foods.

Also, healthier plant food choices were associated with improved blood sugars and lipid profile, and reduced blood pressure.

While eating unhealthy plant foods resulted in developing high blood sugar, high levels of lipids in the blood, and high blood pressure.

Dr Kouvari said:

“Eating less meat is beneficial for heart health, particularly when it is replaced with nutritious plant foods such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and olive oil.”

The study was presented at European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress 2020 and the other study was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (Satija et al., 2020).

Just 45 grams a day of these vegetables could protect you from cardiovascular disease, heart attack, or stroke.

Cruciferous vegetables, such as brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, and kale have been found to lower the odds of blood vessel damage and cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Regular daily consumption of these vegetables could prevent vascular diseases and hugely benefit those with heart disease.

A study has found that a diet high in cruciferous vegetables can prevent the calcium build-up in the aorta which is a primary marker of vascular disease.

The aorta is the largest artery which circulates blood from the heart to our body.

Accumulation of fatty material and calcium deposits in the arteries causes poor circulation throughout the body which leads to a heart attack or stroke.

Dr Lauren Blekkenhorst, the study’s first author, said:

“In our previous studies, we identified those with a higher intake of these vegetables had a reduced risk of having a clinical cardiovascular disease event, such as a heart attack or stroke, but we weren’t sure why.

Our findings from this new study provides insight into the potential mechanisms involved.

We have now found that older women consuming higher amounts of cruciferous vegetables every day have lower odds of having extensive calcification on their aorta.

One particular constituent found abundantly in cruciferous vegetables is vitamin K which may be involved in inhibiting the calcification process that occurs in our blood vessels.”

The results show that calcium build-up in the aorta was reduced by almost 50 percent for women who ate 45 g of cruciferous vegetables or more daily compared with those who didn’t eat enough cruciferous vegetables.

Half-a-cup of raw cabbage or one-quarter of a cup of steamed broccoli would provide 45 g of cruciferous vegetables.

Dr Blekkenhorst said:

“That’s not to say the only vegetables we should be eating are broccoli, cabbage and Brussels sprouts.

We should be eating a wide variety of vegetables every day for overall good health and wellbeing.”

Cardiovascular diseases are the most common cause of death in the world, taking more than 18 million lives each year.

This study was conducted in Australia where more than 65 percent of heart disease is a result of poor diet.

Ms Beth Meertens at the National Heart Foundation of Australia, said:

“Heart disease is the single leading cause of death in Australia and poor diet is responsible for the largest proportion of the burden of heart disease, accounting for 65.5 percent of the total burden of heart disease.

The Heart Foundation recommends that Australians try to include at least five serves of vegetables in their daily diets, along with fruit, seafood, lean meats, dairy and healthy oils found in nuts and seeds.

Unfortunately, over 90 percent of Australian adults don’t eat this recommended daily intake of vegetables.”

The study was published in British Journal of Nutrition (Blekkenhorst et al., 2020).

For years we have heard that eggs are high in cholesterol and would increase the risk of cardiovascular disease…

For years we have heard that egg are high in cholesterol and would increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, but a large study has found this is not true.

Eating one egg a day is safe and doesn’t harm the heart even for people with a history of diabetes or cardiovascular disease.

Researchers analysed three large studies conducted in 21 countries on nearly 150,000 people of which 31,544 of them were cardiovascular disease patients.

The results showed that consuming eggs even 7 days a week didn’t increase blood lipids including low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and triglycerides.

What is more, it didn’t increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack, stroke, or any type of death.

Ms Mahshid Dehghan, the study’s first author, said:

“Moderate egg intake, which is about one egg per day in most people, does not increase the risk of cardiovascular disease or mortality even if people have a history of cardiovascular disease or diabetes.

Also, no association was found between egg intake and blood cholesterol, its components or other risk factors.

These results are robust and widely applicable to both healthy individuals and those with vascular disease.”

Eggs are nutrient-dense foods that contain high quality protein, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals.

They are rich in carotenoids such as lutein and zeaxanthin, and essential nutrients such as choline phospholipids.

These active compounds are very important for eyes, cells and brain function.

Eggs are not only inexpensive and have low environmental impact but also their nutrients are easily absorbed by the body.

For example, the lutein in egg yolk is 200 percent more bioavailable than lutein from vegetable sources.

Despite these facts, healthy diet guidelines often limit egg intake.

The concern is related to some studies that previously found a link between egg consumption and heart disease risk.

Dr Salim Yusuf, director of PHRI and principal investigator of the study, said:

“This is because most of these studies were relatively small or moderate in size and did not include individuals from a large number of countries.

The data from these three studies involved populations from 50 countries spanning six continents at different income levels, so the results are widely applicable.”

The study was published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Dehghan et al., 2020).

This diet low in sulfur amino acids is the key to reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Plant-based diets low in sulfur amino acids are associated with a reduced risk of developing cardiometabolic diseases including cardiovascular disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.

Proteins are made up of amino acids like methionine and cysteine and these two are the main sources of sulfur amino acid (SAA).

Methionine and cysteine are important for cell functions and health but some animal studies suggest that diets low in these two amino acids will delay aging.

Protein-rich foods such as soybeans, nuts, meat, and dairy are naturally higher in SAA than many plant-based foods.

A study suggests that replacing animal protein with plant-derived protein can lower the risk of cardiometabolic diseases.

They reveal that American adults consume two and a half times more SAA than the estimated average requirement.

Professor John Richie, the study’s lead author, said:

“For decades it has been understood that diets restricting sulfur amino acids were beneficial for longevity in animals.

This study provides the first epidemiological evidence that excessive dietary intake of sulfur amino acids may be related to chronic disease outcomes in humans.”

Professor Richie an his team examined the diets of 11,576 adults as well as blood biomarkers like glucose, insulin, cholesterol, and triglycerides.

They found that participants whose diets were lower in SAA had lower risk of cardiometabolic diseases.

Professor Richie said:

“These biomarkers are indicative of an individual’s risk for disease, just as high cholesterol levels are a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Many of these levels can be impacted by a person’s longer-term dietary habits leading up to the test.”

The estimated average requirement of SAA for a healthy adult is 15 mg per kg per day.

However, the team found that the average SAA intake was two and a half times higher than this amount and some participants’ dietary intake was over four times higher.

Dr Xiang Gao, the study’s co-author, said:

“Many people in the United States consume a diet rich in meat and dairy products and the estimated average requirement is only expected to meet the needs of half of healthy individuals.

Therefore, it is not surprising that many are surpassing the average requirement when considering these foods contain higher amounts of sulfur amino acids.”

The research team found that except for grains, fruits, and vegetables, the other types of food were high in SAA.

Dr Zhen Dong, the study’s first author, said:

“Meats and other high-protein foods are generally higher in sulfur amino acid content.

People who eat lots of plant-based products like fruits and vegetables will consume lower amounts of sulfur amino acids.

These results support some of the beneficial health effects observed in those who eat vegan or other plant-based diets.”

The study was published in EClinicalMedicine (Dong et al., 2020).

These diets can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and the risk of diabetes as well as keeping you in shape.

Vegetarian, vegan, and fish-based (pescetarian) diets are associated with a lower risk of heart disease compared to diets that contain meat.

Vegetarians (including vegans) have 10 fewer cases of coronary heart disease per 1000 people over 10 years, compared to meat eaters.

The difference could be related to lower rates of high blood pressure and blood cholesterol, lower body mass index (BMI is used to measure healthy weight), and lower rate of diabetes.

Alternative diets to meat have become popular lately and more people are going vegetarian and vegan, due to the health benefits and caring about animal welfare and the environment.

A large UK study analysed data from 48,188 adults and found that vegetarians and vegans had a 22 percent (pescetarians 13 percent) lower risk of coronary heart disease in comparison to meat eaters.

The research doesn’t explain if these people were on plant-based diets or also consuming dairy such as milk, eggs and nuts.

If a vegetarian diet contains dairy such as butter, cheese, and milk, eggs; seeds such as chia, hemp, and flax; nuts such as brazil and walnuts, it would supply dietary sources of vitamin D, vitamin B12, essential amino acids, and other nutrients as well as cholesterol.

The missing omega-3 fatty acids from vegetarian diets are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) which are found in fish and supplementation with fish oil.

But algae and algal oil supplements to some extent contain these two forms of omega-3 fatty acids and therefore are beneficial to vegetarians and vegans.

As for vitamin D, the main source is sunshine, by exposure to sunlight the ultraviolet rays hit cholesterol in the skin cells to synthesise the vitamin.

Iron is another nutrient that is higher in meat compared to non-meat foods, but dried fruits and pulses such as dal are good sources of this nutrient.

The study was published in the The BMJ (Tong et al., 2019).

A food that feeds bacteria in the gut and contributes to heart health.

Adding walnuts to your everyday diet could boost specific bacteria that can improve cardiovascular health.

Walnuts are an excellent source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) which is an omega-3 essential fatty acid.

Walnut is not only a tasty snack, but a new study suggests that it may be heart- and gut-healthy as well.

Dr Kristina Petersen, the study’s co-author, said:

“Replacing your usual snack — especially if it’s an unhealthy snack — with walnuts is a small change you can make to improve your diet.

Substantial evidence shows that small improvements in diet greatly benefit health.

Eating two to three ounces of walnuts a day as part of a healthy diet could be a good way to improve gut health and reduce the risk of heart disease.”

Past studies have found that a diet consisting of less saturated fats in combination with walnuts benefits the heart by lowering risk factors, such as high blood pressure and bad cholesterol.

The cardiovascular health benefits of walnuts may be related to changes to the bacteria that live in the gastrointestinal tract.

Professor Penny Kris-Etherton, study co-author, said:

“There’s a lot of work being done on gut health and how it affects overall health.

So, in addition to looking at factors like lipids and lipoproteins, we wanted to look at gut health.

We also wanted to see if changes in gut health with walnut consumption were related to improvements in risk factors for heart disease.”

The study found that a six-week diet containing 57 to 99 grams of whole walnuts per day boosted beneficial bacteria such as Roseburia, Eubacterium eligens, Lachnospiraceae, and Butyricicoccus.

Dr Petersen said:

“The walnut diet enriched a number of gut bacteria that have been associated with health benefits in the past.

One of those is Roseburia, which has been associated with protection of the gut lining.

We also saw enrichment in Eubacteria eligens and Butyricicoccus.”

The research team saw an association between high levels of Eubacterium eligens and a reduction in blood pressure and heart disease risk factors.

They also saw that Lachnospiraceae and another bacteria were effective in lowering blood pressure and total cholesterol.

Dr Regina Lamendella said:

“Foods like whole walnuts provide a diverse array of substrates — like fatty acids, fiber and bioactive compounds — for our gut microbiomes to feed on.

In turn, this can help generate beneficial metabolites and other products for our bodies.”

The study was published in The Journal of Nutrition (Tindall et al., 2019).

A higher portion of this type of food is a healthy way to look after your heart and cut the risk of dying from any cause by a quarter.

Diets low in foods from animal sources and high in plant-based foods could reduce cardiovascular disease risk and death by a large amount, research finds.

The study reviewed 10,000 American adults’ dietary intake data over 29 years.

They found that higher consumption of plant-based foods and less animal-sourced foods not only was linked to better heart health but also decreased the risk of dying from any type of cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke.

Overall, compared to participants who consumed the lowest amount of plant-based foods, those who ate the highest amount of plant foods had a:

• 32 percent reduced risk of death caused by any type of cardiovascular disease,
• 25 percent reduced risk of dying from any type of disease,
• and a 16 percent reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart failure, heart attack, and stroke.

Dr Casey M. Rebholz, the study’s leader,  said:

“While you don’t have to give up foods derived from animals completely, our study does suggest that eating a larger proportion of plant-based foods and a smaller proportion of animal-based foods may help reduce your risk of having a heart attack, stroke or other type of cardiovascular disease.

Our findings underscore the importance of focusing on your diet.

There might be some variability in terms of individual foods, but to reduce cardiovascular disease risk people should eat more vegetables, nuts, whole grains, fruits, legumes and fewer animal-based foods.

These findings are pretty consistent with previous findings about other dietary patterns, including the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH diet, which emphasize the same food items.”

Dr Mariell Jessup, the chief science and medical officer of the American Heart Association, said:

“The American Heart Association recommends eating a mostly plant-based diet, provided the foods you choose are rich in nutrition and low in added sugars, sodium (salt), cholesterol and artery-clogging saturated and trans fats.

For example, French fries or cauliflower pizza with cheese are plant based but are low in nutritional value and are loaded with sodium (salt).

Unprocessed foods, like fresh fruit, vegetables and grains are good choices.”

The study was published in Journal of the American Heart Association (Kim et al., 2019).