Research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, shows that higher vitamin C concentrations in the blood, which result from eating fruits and vegetables, is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease and early death.
The study from the University of Copenhagen involved over 100,000 Danes in the “Copenhagen General Population Study”. Dr Camilla Kobylecki of the research team says, ” Those with the highest intake of fruit and vegetables have a 15% lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease and a 20% lower risk of early death compared with those who very rarely eat fruit and vegetables. At the same time, we can see that the reduced risk is related to high vitamin C concentrations in the blood from the fruit and vegetables.”
Boerge Nordestgaard, Professor at the University of Copenhagen explains, “We know that fruit and vegetables are healthy, but now our research is pinpointing more precisely why this is so. Eating a lot of fruit and vegetables is a natural way of increasing vitamin C blood levels, which in the long term may contribute to reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and early death. You can get vitamin C supplements, but it is a good idea to get your vitamin C by eating a healthy diet, which will at the same time help you to develop a healthier lifestyle in the long term, for the general benefit of your health.”
Vitamin C has many functions in the body including being a potent antioxidant which protects cells and body tissues from the damage which causes many diseases, including cardiovascular disease.
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