Researchers from the McMaster University in Canada have found that eating a balanced mixture of fruit and vegetables daily, keeps the heart healthy.
This simple but effective diet could have a big impact on long-term health as scientists from the study discovered that fruit and vegetables dramatically weaken the effects of a key gene in the body, which contributes towards the causes of heart disease.
Although it’s also believed that genetics play a big part on whether a person develops heart disease, they found that eating a diet high in fruit and vegetables effectively protects them from the condition too.
The study involved scientists looking at the DNA records of 27,000 people in Europe, South Asia, China, Arab and Latin America. They also quizzed them about their dietary habits.
Vegetables and fruit modify genetic code variants on the 9p21 chromosome, which increase heart attacks risks.
“We observed that the effect of a high-risk genotype can be mitigated by consuming a diet high in fruits and vegetables,” says researcher, professor Sonia Anand.
“Our results support the public health recommendation to consume more than five servings of fruits or vegetables as a way to promote good health.”
The researchers recommend that eating fresh vegetables, fruit, berries (as well as frozen berries) at least once a day counted towards a high consumption.
For some innovative ideas on getting your five-a-day, browse our gallery below.