It has long been thought that we cannot change the effect that our genes have in the body.  However, new research (1,2) suggests that the gene (known as 9p21) which is the strongest marker for heart disease can actually be modified by generous amounts of fruit and raw vegetables. In a press release (2) Dr. Jamie Engert, joint principal investigator of the study said “We know that 9p21 genetic variants increase the risk of heart disease for those that carry it,” “But it was a surprise to find that a healthy diet could significantly weaken its effect.” The research involved analysis of more than 27,000 individuals from five ethnicities (European, South Asian, Chinese, Latin American and Arab) and the impact that their diets had on the effect of the 9p21 gene.  The research represents one of the largest gene-diet interaction studies ever conducted on cardiovascular disease. The results suggest that individuals with the high risk genotype who consumed a prudent diet, composed mainly of raw vegetables, fruits and berries, had a similar risk of heart attack to those with the low risk genotype. Sonia Anand joint principal investigator of the study said (2) “We observed that the effect of a high-risk genotype can be mitigated by consuming a diet high in fruits and vegetables,” “Our results support the public health recommendation to consume more than five servings of fruits or vegetables as a way to promote good health.”  Lead study author Dr Ron Do added “Our research suggests there may….

A healthy diet rich in fruit and vegetables (plant foods) has been previously linked to the prevention of many chronic diseases from heart disease to cancer and Alzheimer’s.  A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition (1) has found that “In the elderly, a diet rich in plant foods is associated with better performance in several cognitive abilities”.   The study aimed to examine the relationship between intakes of different plant foods and cognitive (mental function) performance in elderly individuals.  Over 2000 elderly people aged between 70 and 74 years old were involved.  The individuals completed a number of cognitive tests (including Kendrick Object Learning Test, Trail Making Test – part A, modified versions of the Digit Symbol Test, Block Design, Mini-Mental State Examination and Controlled Oral Word Association Test) and were also asked to complete a detailed food frequency questionnaire to asses their dietary habits.   Those individuals who had the highest intakes of vegetables, fruits, mushrooms and grain products performed significantly better in the cognitive tests when compared to those individuals with very low intakes or no intakes (1).   The associations were strongest between cognitive function and combined intakes of fruits and vegetables – the association was also ‘dose dependent’ i.e. the more fruit and vegetables consumed the higher the scores in cognitive function.  This dose-dependent relationship held true up to about 500g of fruit and vegetables per day, after that a plateau was reached where further intakes did not significantly increase cognitive function scores.  The dose-related….

Vegetables and fruits contain abundant amounts of phytochemicals, bioactive plant nutrients, which are thought to be vital to the body for many reasons and linked to a reduced risk of all kinds of conditions from heart disease and cancer to dementia and bone loss. The recommendations to eat plenty of these plant-based foods are certainly valid and very important. A high intake of phytochemical compounds has been shown to be important for optimal health and prevention of disease.   A study (1) last year linked high intakes of phytochemicals with reduced adiposity, fat tissue, as well as reduced oxidative stress, a kind of stress that occurs in the cells of our bodies when they are under attack by molecules known as ‘free radicals’. In the body antioxidant defences are important to prevent damage by these free radical molecules which can cause inflammation and are linked to many diseases. Many phytochemicals act as antioxidants in the body.   The authors of this study(1) used a simple ‘phytochemical index’ to determine the levels of these plant chemicals consumed by 54 people aged between 18-30 years. Participants were ordered into normal weight and overweight groups. Dietary records and blood samples were collected. The phytochemical index was a way of comparing the number of calories consumed from plant-based foods with the overall number of daily calories.   The adults in the two groups consumed about the same amount of calories. However overweight-obese adults consumed fewer plant-based foods and subsequently fewer protective trace minerals and….