Eating Fruits, Vegetables, and Nuts May Lower Chronic Disease Risks
A recent study indicates that regularly consuming a mix of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains might lower the likelihood of developing two significant chronic diseases.
American researchers found that phytosterols—natural compounds present in various foods like nuts, seeds, grains, and vegetable oils—could enhance metabolism and decrease inflammation, potentially warding off heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Despite these findings, it’s concerning that up to 90% of Americans fail to meet the daily recommended intake of these foods.
Phytosterols, which resemble cholesterol, are often promoted as beneficial for heart health since they help lower levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol by absorbing it. The new study suggests a higher intake of these compounds may also aid in insulin regulation and alleviate heart inflammation, contributing to a healthier metabolism.
Type 2 diabetes is the most prevalent form of diabetes worldwide, affecting over 37 million adults in the U.S. The American Heart Association highlights that around 48% of Americans are grappling with some form of cardiovascular disease, which remains the leading cause of death in the country, responsible for about one in five fatalities.
Dr. Fenglei Wang, the lead researcher from Harvard University, remarked that the study reinforces claims advocating for a plant-based diet rich in vegetables and whole grains.
While phytosterols can be found throughout all plant foods, their greatest concentrations are in unrefined plant oils like vegetable oil and olive oil. Foods such as almonds, pistachios, and cashews, along with seeds like pumpkin and sunflower, whole grains like oats and barley, and legumes like chickpeas and lentils, are excellent sources of phytosterols. Even certain vegetables and fruits, such as artichokes, broccoli, pineapples, and bananas, contain them.
The researchers monitored over 200,000 American adults over 36 years. Participants periodically filled out questionnaires about their dietary habits to assess their phytosterol intake. This information was then analyzed using various statistical models to evaluate the participants’ risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Throughout the study period, over 20,000 participants developed type 2 diabetes, and nearly 16,000 developed heart disease.
Results indicated that those who typically consumed around five servings of vegetables, three servings of fruit, two servings of whole grains, and half a serving of nuts—including those high in phytosterols—were about 10% less likely to experience either condition. Yet, alarmingly, hardly any American achieves these dietary goals.
Additionally, the researchers examined metabolites and other metabolic indicators in blood samples from around 40,000 participants to better understand how phytosterols impact calorie-burning.
They found that individuals consuming phytosterols demonstrated improved metabolism, which helped regulate insulin levels and reduce inflammation in the heart area.
Dr. Wang explained that the findings imply that phytosterols might diminish the risk of type 2 diabetes by mitigating insulin resistance and help prevent heart disease by combating inflammation.
The foods involved in the study align with recommendations for a balanced diet and have been associated with various health benefits, partly due to their antioxidants and fiber content. However, the researchers did not explicitly clarify how the benefits were linked specifically to phytosterol consumption.
This study was presented at a session focused on Bioactives for Brain and Cardiometabolic Health in Orange County, Florida, and will be published in the journal Nutrition.
