Fruit and Vegetables - a Heart Healthy Choice

Most of us know we should be eating more fruit and veg for our health and if asked to name some foods good for our hearts, fruit and veg would probably appear on at least some people's lists. That's no surprise. The case for getting our "5 A Day" came from population studies that showed countries where they ate at least 400g of fruit and veg (which can be thought of as equivalent to 5 servings of 80g), had lower rates of various chronic diseases, including heart disease. So what is it about fruit and veg that make them so good for the health of our hearts?

We've mentioned on a number of occasions that fruit and veg are rich in antioxidants. These protect the blood vessels from damage and build up of deposits on the artery walls, so the blood is more able to flow freely and blood clots less likely to form. The theme of eating fruit and veg in all the colours of the rainbow has also come up, as it is these antioxidants that are responsible for the bright colours of their skins and flesh - see whether you can eat 5 different coloured fruit and veg daily.

Fruit and veg are low in fat - with the exception being avocados and even these are high in heart healthy monounsaturated fats. With the drive towards a low fat diet to help keep our cholesterol levels down, it makes sense to fill up on fruit and veg at meals and incorporate them into snacks. Use extra veg to bulk out stews, casseroles, curries, pasta dishes or whatever else you enjoy to have for your cooked meal. If you have a sweet tooth and like a dessert to follow a meal, try to choose one based on fruit - good examples include sugar free jelly with tinned fruit set in it, banana with low fat custard or berries with low fat natural yoghurt; perhaps once a week have a fruit crumble as a treat, just try to have a larger proportion of fruit to crumble topping. As a change from fruit as a snack, try veg sticks (carrot, celery, pepper, cucumber, even raw cauliflower florets work well) with a low fat dip such as salsa, cottage cheese or extra light soft cheese.

As excess weight puts a strain on the heart and can increase risk factors such as blood pressure, cholesterol and blood clotting, fruit and veg make a good option as they are low in calories, so can help you to achieve weight loss or at least maintain your current weight. If you are looking to lose weight, use this as a rule of thumb - at your main meal try to have half of what you eat as veg. Salad is also good to fill out sandwiches if you have reduced the number of slices of bread you have or the amount of filling you add. If you have reduced cereal portions, add sliced fruit or a handful of berries, or follow with a piece of fruit if mixing the two doesn't appeal.

Fruit and vegetables are rich in soluble fibre, the type of fibre that has been shown to lower cholesterol. It is thought that soluble fibre binds to cholesterol preventing it from being absorbed by the gut. Pulses - peas, beans and lentils - are particularly high in soluble fibre, so try replacing a proportion of the meat in dishes with these protein rich veg.

Finally, fruit and veg are rich in the mineral potassium. This counteracts the action of sodium, found in salt, so a diet rich in potassium may have a positive impact on blood pressure. However, if you have kidney failure you may have been told to limit your intake of potassium, as in this instance excess potassium can't be adequately excreted from the body.


Attributions
Fruit salad by Pink Sherbert Photography via Wikimedia Commons
Salad by Cheryl via Wikimedia Commons