According to research, a prescription for £50 worth of fruit and vegetables each month could significantly reduce the hazard of heart attacks and strokes. The study indicated that recipients who enjoyed complimentary produce witnessed improvements in their blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and BMI.
Notably, an additional serving of fruits and veggies was consumed every day by participants, lowering the likelihood of severe health complications. The study, authored by experts at Tufts University in the United States, delved into information from 1,817 children and 2,064 adults, particularly focusing on individuals from economically disadvantaged areas with heightened susceptibility to cardiometabolic diseases such as cardiovascular conditions or Type 2 diabetes.
Revealing the promising outcomes of people who redeemed vouchers worth approximately £50 monthly at grocery stores, it emerged they incorporated more greens into their diets. Each participant provided insights into their eating habits and their overall well-being.
Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, the journal where these findings were published, highlights the effectiveness of government-subsidised health initiatives. Making a strong case for the strategy, Professor Mitchell Elkind, the chief clinical science officer at the American Heart Association, emphasised: “Poor nutrition and nutrition insecurity are major drivers of chronic disease globally, including cardiometabolic conditions like Type 2 diabetes and their cardiovascular consequences, including heart failure, heart attack and stroke.”
“This analysis of produce prescription programmes illustrates the potential of subsidised produce prescriptions to increase consumption of nutritious fruits and vegetables, reduce food insecurity and, hopefully, improve subjective and objective health measures.”
The British Heart Foundation has said that people can also improve their chances of avoiding heart attacks and strokes by reducing some types of food. It said that most people in the UK need to reduce the amount of saturated fat, salt and sugar they eat.
Saturated fat
The BHF said Too much saturated fat can increase blood cholesterol levels and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. Replacing animal fats such as butter with plant-based oils like olive oil and vegetable oil can help you reduce how much saturated fat you eat.
Salt
Eating too much salt can increase the risk of developing high blood pressure. Having high blood pressure increases the risk of developing coronary heart disease. If you prefer salty foods, try squeezing some fresh lemon juice onto your food instead of adding raw salt.
Sugar
Too much sugar can increase the risk of weight gain and tooth decay. To reduce how much sugar you take, try doing it slowly over time instead of making a big sudden change. You can, for example, use half a teaspoon less sugar in your tea everyday instead of immediately switching to unsweetened tea. For more information on BHF diet changes click here.