Eating more oranges and vegetables reduces the risk of coronary heart disease, stroke and hypertension and may even protect the heart against them, say nutrition and medical researchers.
Speaking at a meeting of food scientists sponsored by the Institute of Food Technologists, Dr Frank Speizer of Harvard Medical School said research had consistently shown that an increased intake of citrus fruits and cruciferous vegetables - which include cabbage, broccoli and turnips - was "associated with reduced risk of coronary heart disease and stroke."
Citing a study of 75,000 female nurses and 38,000 male health workers, Dr Speizer said that eating more fruit was also linked to a reduced risk of high blood pressure, which was a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
There was some evidence that nutrients found in orange juice - specifically potassium, folic acid and vitamin C - might protect against cardiovascular disease, he said.
Steven Nagy, a research scientist at Florida's state Department of Citrus, said the ingredients of orange juice had antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-viral, anti-allergenic and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as protecting against blood clots and the buildup of plaque in arteries.
"Citrus is a powerhouse of cardio-protective substances," he said.
Elzbieta Kurowska, of KGK Synergize, said a clinical trial conducted while she was at the University of Western Ontario showed that drinking three 240ml glasses of orange juice a day increased the "good cholesterol" HDL by 21 per cent and reduced the ratio of "bad cholesterol" LDL to HDL by 16 per cent.
"HDL has been shown to be protective against heart disease and, apart from regular heavy exercise, we have not known of an easy, universally available way to increase it," she said.
In the Ontario study, the positive changes in cholesterol persisted for five weeks after the treatment period ended.
- REUTERS
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Citrus powerhouse for hearts
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