Vegetables Reduce Atherosclerosis by 38 percent

Here’s a piece of news my vegan friend, Sara, will appreciate. Mice fed a diet in which vegetables, such as freeze-dried broccoli, peas, green beans, corn and carrots, made up 30 percent were physically healthier in a number of ways.

• Lower total cholesterol levels
• Lower levels of the so-called “bad” cholesterol or low-density lipoprotein (LDL)
• A 7 percent lower average body weight.
• Atherosclerotic plaques that were 38 percent smaller than those of the mice who consumed no vegetables

All the mice, whether on a vegetable-free or vegetable-rich diet, had the same amount of physical activity and living environment so vegetables are clearly doing their thing, perhaps via anti-inflammatory pathways.

How many servings of veggies and fruit have you eaten today? The recommended amount is five or more servings a day. Personally, I have a lot of catching up to do.

Forbes, June 19, 2006

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