Friday, May 23, 2008

Fresh fruit and vegetables


Fresh fruit and vegetables are rich sources of antioxidants, nutrients that help to prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, one of the main triggers of atherosclerosis. Increasing your intake of antioxidants can significantly decrease build up of plaques in the arteries.

Three important antioxidants are vitamins C,E, and beta caroteneoften referred to as the ACE vitamins because beta carotene is converted into vitamin A in the body.

* Beta carotene is found in yellow. orange and green fruit and vegetables, such as mangoes, oranges, apricots, crrots, red peppers, sweet potatoes and spinach, asparagus and kale.
* Vitamin C is found in most fresh fruit and vegetables, especially citrus fruits and tomaties.
* Vitamin E is found in nuts, seeds, wheatgerm and broccoli.
* Other antioxidants include a group of nutrients called flavonoids, found in tea, red wine, apple skins and oranges among many other foods.
* Folic acid, a type of B vitamin, along with vitamin B6 and vitamin B12, are also important for a healthy heart. Most people with a raised homocysteine level, which has been linked to heart disease, have been found to have a low intake of these nutrients, which are thought to be necessary to proces homocysteine, so that it does not build up in the blood.
* Sources of folic acid are green leafy vegetables, offal and fortifield cereals, B vitamins are found in fish, egg yolk, whole grain cereals, sprouted seeds, offal, pulses and eggs.

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