Green vegetables and fruits rich in vitamin C reduces risk of heart disease

Regularly eating fruits and vegetables, in particular green leafy vegetables and fruits that contain vitamin C, reduces the risk of coronary heart disease, according to researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health. In a study, individuals who increased consumption of fruits and vegetables by one additional serving per day helped reduce their risk for coronary heart disease by 4 percent. And more appears to be better, at least where eating fruits and vegetables is concerned. Each added serving of vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables was associated with a 6 percent reduction in coronary heart disease risk. Those people in the study who consumed eight or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day were at over 20 percent reduced risk of coronary heart disease compared to those who consumed less than three servings per day. The research was funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health, the Office of Dietary Supplements and the Florida Department of Citrus.