Fruits and vegetables and coronary heart disease

Fruits and vegetables and coronary heart disease Recent results of cohort studies have challenged protective effect of fruits and vegetables on cancer risk. What about coronary heart disease? What is the evidence of their protective effect? This evidence is based on observational cohort studies, nutrition prevention trials, investigations of effects of fruit and vegetables on cardiovascular risk factors and study of fruit and vegetables components. Observational epidemiological studies have reported either weak or non-significant associations. Meta analysis pooling these studies finds a weak association. Controlled nutritional prevention trials are scarce and the existing data do not show any clear protective effects of fruit and vegetables on coronary heart disease. Under rigorously controlled experimental conditions, fruit and vegetable consumption is associated with a decrease in blood pressure, which is an important cardiovascular risk factor. However, the effects of fruit and vegetable consumption on plasma lipid levels, diabetes, and body weight have not yet been thoroughly explored. Finally, controlled studies evaluating vitamins supplementation had disappointing results. In conclusion fruits and vegetables, source of vitamin fiber and water, should be consumed as part of a balance diet. Confirmation that fruits and vegetables have effect by themselves require new controls studies on cardiovascular risk factors.