Fight Cardiovascular Disease with Fresh Fruit and Vegetables!

With February being American Heart Month I thought it would be perfect to discuss cardiovascular disease prevention through eating fresh fruits and vegetables. Cardiovascular disease is a group of disorders of the heart and blood vessels and is the number one killer in the United States.¹ Your chances of having cardiovascular disease increase if you have any of the following: 1) high blood pressure, 2) high amounts of LDL cholesterol, 3) diabetes, 4) have smoked or are exposed to secondhand smoke, 4) obesity, 5) poor nutrition and 6) physical inactivity. If this sounds like you, don’t fret! There are nutritional changes you can make to help increase your protection against cardiovascular disease including adding polyphenols to your diet.

Polyphenols are compounds found in foods that act as antioxidants and have protective effects on heart health. There are a variety of different polyphenols, however, resveratrol, kaempferol, and quercetin have been studied significantly in regards to their effects on improving cardiovascular disease risk.^2,3,4 Here are some of the following ways these polyphenols can help reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease:

1. Polyphenols have antioxidant properties that destroy free radicals which protect your blood vessels.^2,3,4
2. Consistent polyphenol consumption is shown to lower LDL cholesterol levels.⁴
3. Polyphenols reduce your risk of atherosclerosis (thickening and hardening of the arteries caused by a build-up of plaque inside the arteries) due to lowering LDL cholesterol oxidation rates.³
4. Polyphenol consumption has been shown to prevent blood clots.⁴

So how easy is it to eat polyphenols daily? Honestly, extremely easy. Polyphenols are found in an abundance of different fresh fruits and vegetables such as red and purple grapes, blueberries, cranberries, elderberries, onions, hot peppers, broccoli, kale, and lettuce. There are even higher levels of polyphenols in peanut butter! To increase the absorption of the polyphenols make sure to eat these foods with turmeric.⁵ Check out the recipe below for a quick snack or breakfast option to help start your day with a polyphenol punch!

References:

1. Heart disease facts. CDC.gov. Reviewed May 15, 2023. Accessed February 10, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm

2. Gai Z, Hu S, Gong G, Zhao J. Recent advances in understanding dietary polyphenols protecting against hypertension. 2023;138:685-696. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2023.07.008 

3. Jan R, Khan M, Asaf S, Lubna, Asif S, Kim K. Bioactivity and therapeutic potential of kaempferol and quercetin: new insights for plant and human health. Plants (Basel). 2022;11(19):2623. doi:10.3390/plants11192623

4. Iqbal I, Wilairatana P, Saqib F, et al. Plant polyphenols and their potential benefits on cardiovascular health: a review. Molecules. 2023;28(17):6403. doi:10.3390/molecules28176403 79

5. Hedayati N, Yaghoobi A, Salami M, et al. Impact of polyphenols on heart failure and cardiac hypertrophy: clinical effects and molecular mechanisms. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2023;10.  https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2023.1174816