Healthy Living Researchers suggest green veggies are good for blood vessels

Some of our least favourite vegetables may really be the best for preventing serious blood vessel damage, according to recent studies. Older women who eat more cruciferous green vegetables, such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage, have less severe blood vessel damage, Those with a diet comprising more cruciferous vegetables had a lower chance of having an extensive build-up of calcium in their aorta, a key marker for structural blood vessel disease. Blood vessel disease is a condition that affects our blood vessels (arteries and veins) and can reduce the flow of blood circulating around the body. This reduction in blood flow can be due to the build-up of fatty, calcium deposits on the inner walls of our blood vessels, such as the aorta. This build-up of fatty, calcium deposits is the leading cause of a heart attack or stroke. 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. 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. Those who consumed more than 45g of cruciferous vegetables every was 46 per cent less likely to have an extensive build-up of calcium in their aorta in comparison to those consuming little to no cruciferous vegetables every day. That's not to say the only vegetables we should be eating are broccoli, cabbage and Brussels sprouts.