A new study, published in the British Guardian, shows that the habit of eating vegetables alone does not reduce the risk of heart disease cientific . magazine Frontiers in Nutrition. However, the results show that vegetables consumed raw provide greater protection, but the effect on the cooked version will be less, especially if the person has harmful habits, such as smoking. Information from Agência Einstein.
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The analysis, conducted by researchers from the Universities of Oxford and Bristol and the Chinese University of Hong Kong, examined the diet data of nearly 400,000 people, whose information was collected from the UK Biobank.
Food and lifestyle data, such as physical exercise, consumption of alcoholic beverages, smoking, fruit intake, consumption of red and processed meat, use of vitamin supplements, as well as educational level were then crossed over.
Higher consumption of raw but undercooked vegetables has been associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. (…) This study points to the need to re-evaluate the evidence for weight attributable to reduced vegetable consumption in cardiovascular disease in high-income populations,” the research authors highlighted.
raw x cooked
When vegetables are cooked, part of the fiber and vitamins are lost during preparation, and here’s the advantage of eating them raw, according to Eduardo Segala de Mello, a cardiologist at Israel Albert Einstein Hospital. A diet that favors fiber cooperates with protecting the heart, as it helps control cholesterol – although it is not always possible.
“It is very difficult to maintain a diet that includes raw foods all the time. Of course we can grate a carrot and make a salad. But how do you eat broccoli or cauliflower completely raw? The method of preparation is very important. If someone cooks broccoli with sour cream and covered with cheese, that is not necessarily the way Healthy to eat. But a person can cook it and season it with a little olive oil and a pinch of salt, which is the biggest villain in a hypertensive diet,” suggests a cardiologist.
Milo cautions that the use of olive oil is still required. “It’s a great ingredient, but when you put it in a frying pan and heat up, it gets worse at releasing fatty acids, which are very bad for cholesterol. We have the impression that olive oil is always good, but it’s good when it’s used on top of food and not for frying fish, for example.”
In addition, nothing works alone, according to the expert, and food is just one of the pillars of a healthy life, not the only one. “I always tell my patients that there are five pillars of a healthy life: sleep well; do physical activity; eat in a balanced manner; maintain a focused routine; and meditate. There is no point in sleeping well, for example, and living off hamburgers and chocolate,” he explains.
Should I stop eating vegetables?
No way. Milo stresses that cardiovascular protection doesn’t just happen through food and that study results shouldn’t discourage a diet rich in fruits and vegetables.
“I understand that it is important to promote consumption of raw vegetables. In the Brazilian Cholesterol Control Guidelines table, they are very happy to use the words ‘preferred’; ‘occasional’ and ‘infrequently’. I am a huge fan of this because every patient is unique. For this study, I will choose the “preferred” consumption of raw vegetables,” he explains.
Charlotte Whitmore is a contributor at Mediarunsearch.co.uk, covering a broad range of topics including news, politics, business, technology, sport, entertainment, and lifestyle. She focuses on delivering clear, balanced reporting and practical information that helps readers stay informed about current events and emerging developments. Her work highlights stories that matter to everyday audiences, with an emphasis on accuracy, relevance, and accessible journalism that keeps readers connected to the issues shaping the UK and beyond.