To go all vegan or not is complete upto the athletes. But studies have shown that one could have better artery health with the consumption of vegetables. Leafy vegetables and other cruciferous veggies like cabbage, broccoli, radish, cauliflower, radish, etc are found to be good for your vascular health. But how much of this results and studies are true? Let’s find out.
Eating More Vegetables tied to better artery health for Pro Players
In the latest study conducted by Lauren Blekkenhorst at the University of Western Australia, it was proven that vegetables help older women to prevent clogged arteries. So, can it work the same for the sports players and other athletes? What’s the scientific reason behind this?
The vegetables which we are referring to are the cruciferous ones, and other leafy vegetables which that are rich in vitamins, potassium, etc. These vegetables contain vitamin C, K, folate, fiber, and other essential minerals. Other than these elements, you will also find sulfur compounds in these vegetables. Glucosinolates are also present in the vegetables which are identified by the strong smell and bitter taste.
As you cook the leafy vegetables, the glucosinolates contained in them breaks into active compounds like nitriles, isothiocyanates, indoles, and thiocyanates. Reports have shown that the components like the isothiocyanates and the indoles have chances of reducing the cancer risks. Though, there is less evidence for the effect of these elements on humans.
Still, there is some connection between the increased vegetable intake and reduced heart-related risks.
Heart health is measured on the basis of the thickness of the walls of the carotid arteries. You can measure the thickness of these walls near the neck, which will give you a better report if the person has an issue called atherosclerosis. This is the main reason for a heart attack, which is caused due to the thickening of the artery walls.
All the fat and cholesterol sticks on the artery walls, which in time increases the thickness of the valves. This increased thickness narrows the path and blocks the way of oxygen and other nutrient intakes. Finally, there won’t be any space for the blood flow as well which eventually leads to heart attack.
Therefore, you need to keep a check that the person does not get ‘atherosclerosis’ condition. As it is the main underlying reason for all the heart ailments.
Some of the basic food items that you can include in your diet include –
All kinds of vegetable (cooked or raw), fruits usually in their raw state, starchy vegetables like potatoes and sweet potatoes, sprouts, nuts, beans and almost any kind of pulses. Make sure that you consume the right amount of food too, the amount you feel like you are full you need to stop right away.
You may argue that you may a certain required amount of calories in a day. But if your goal is weight loss, then you need to figure out the calories consumed and the calories burnt in exercise.
That’s all folks, hope you had a great time reading our blog. Eating right is important, and that is actually more important than how much you are consuming. Follow us on Sportsdeckblog for more updates.