It’s a vegetable that many people dread eating, but a new study may encourage you to reach for the Brussels sprouts more regularly.
Researchers from the University of Western Australia have revealed that eating Brussels, cabbage or broccoli everyday could slash your risk of blood vessel disease by up to 46%.
In the study, the researchers analysed the diets and health of 684 older women.
The analysis revealed that women who ate more than 45g of Brussels sprouts, cabbage or broccoli every day were 46% less likely to have blood vessel disease than the women who ate no vegetables.
Dr Lauren Blekkenhorst, who led the study, explained: “In our previous studies, we identified those with a higher intake of these vegetables had a reduced risk of having a clinical cardiovascular disease event, such as a heart attack or stroke, but we weren’t sure why.
“Our findings from this new study provides insight into the potential mechanisms involved.”
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“We have now found that older women consuming higher amounts of cruciferous vegetables every day have lower odds of having extensive calcification on their aorta.
“One particular constituent found abundantly in cruciferous vegetables is vitamin K which may be involved in inhibiting the calcification process that occurs in our blood vessels.”
Blood vessel disease can reduce the flow of blood around your body, and can be due to the build-up of fatty, calcium deposits on the inner walls of the blood vessels.
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Worryingly, over time this can increase your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
While the findings indicate that eating Brussels sprouts, broccoli or cabbage can reduce your risk of blood vessel disease, that’s not to say those are the only vegetables you should eat.
Dr Blekkenhorst added: “We should be eating a wide variety of vegetables every day for overall good health and wellbeing.”
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