Fruit and Veg Consumption May Help to Beat Your Genes

The link between eating plenty of fruit and vegetables and having a lower risk of developing heart disease is widely appreciated. However, new research by a team at McGill University in Canada has found that a diet rich in these may help to offset the increased risk of the disease bestowed on us by certain gene variations. Greatest benefits appear to be conferred when more raw vegetables and berries were consumed.

The study, which was published in the Public Library of Science Medicine, investigated which dietary factors could improve someone's chances of avoiding heart disease despite possessing genes that would make them more susceptible. Four different variations within one particular chromosome were investigated in this study, which compared 3820 subjects who had experienced a non-fatal heart attack with 4294 subjects who were free from heart disease; these participants were from a range of five ethnic groups. Two issues were investigated; firstly how each of these variations influenced heart disease risk and how this was affected by factors such as diet, exercise and smoking habits. Dietary intake was determined by use of a food frequency questionnaire to find out how often particular groups of foods were eaten.

Although the particular genetic variation possessed by someone determined their risk of developing heart disease, irrespective of their variation the greater someone's intake of fruit and vegetables the lower their risk. The researchers concluded that this adds further weight to the importance of eating five portions of fruit and vegetables daily. While the study didn't investigate the mechanism for the protective effect of the fruit and vegetables, their content of antioxidants, folate, potassium and fibre is known to be beneficial. Raw vegetables may provide additional benefits, as water soluble vitamins such as vitamin C and folate are lost to a degree through cooking, while berries are well-known for their high antioxidant content.

Photo by Ted O-Rama from Southern California, USA via Wikimedia Commons