Here’s one more reason to go green: You’ll enjoy a lower risk of heart disease. Those are the findings of a study presented at the American Heart Association‘s (AHA) Scientific Sessions conference in 2019.

The study included 50 African Americans who were asked to eat only prepared meals delivered to their homes for five weeks. The meals were low in sodium and calories and had no meat, seafood and dairy.

The researchers then used a cardiovascular risk calculator to assess the participants’ risk of stroke or heart attack over the next 10 years.

Their findings showed that following a low-sodium and low-calorie, plant-based diet led to a 14 percent reduction in “bad” LDL cholesterol levels. This is the kind of cholesterol that can clog your arteries, restrict blood flow and eventually trigger a heart attack.

Furthermore, the diet helped lower the participants’ systolic blood pressure by up to 10 points. Systolic blood pressure, the top number in a blood pressure reading, refers to the force of blood against the arteries’ walls when the heart beats. Having high systolic blood pressure can severely increase your risk of heart disease and heart attack.

The researchers also found that for the 36 participants who had pre- and post-diet risk scores, their risk of stroke or heart attack fell from 10.83 percent to 8.74 percent.

Overall, these findings suggest that adopting a low-salt, low-calorie, plant-based diet helps lower blood cholesterol and blood pressure — two important risk factors for heart disease.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in America, and African Americans are especially at risk. Studies like these help shed light on what people can do to lower their risk of developing heart disease and live a long life.

Roasted rainbow power bowl recipe

Vegan dishes get a bad rap for tasting “vegan,” which has become synonymous with “unsavory,” “unpalatable” or “bland.” But don’t let naysayers stop you from cooking up some healthy vegan recipes.

This veggie bowl recipe takes the cake when it comes to both flavor and nutrients. It’s filled with complex carbs like fiber, heart-healthy fats and essential vitamins and minerals. It makes a pretty dish, too!

Ingredients:

• 4 baby potatoes, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
• 4 large radishes, quartered
• 2 large carrots, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 medium beet, sliced into 1/8-inch rounds
• 1 medium red pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 medium lemon, juiced
• 1/2 medium avocado, sliced
• 1/2 large sweet potato, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
• 2 cups roughly chopped collard greens
• 1 cup roughly chopped broccolini
• 1 cup thinly sliced cabbage
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons hemp seeds, divided
• 2 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste), divided
• 1 teaspoon curry powder, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, divided

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. To one baking sheet, add the baby potatoes, sweet potato, carrots, beet and radishes. Drizzle with half of the avocado oil, curry powder and sea salt. Toss to combine. Bake for 20–25 minutes or until golden.
3. To the second baking sheet, add the cabbage, bell pepper and broccolini. Drizzle with the remaining half of the avocado oil, curry powder and sea salt. Toss to combine.
4. When the potatoes hit the 10-minute mark, add the other sheet to the oven and bake for a total of 15–20 minutes. In the last 5 minutes of baking, add the collard greens to either sheet. Bake until tender.
5. Divide the cooked vegetables between serving plates. Garnish with avocado slices and hemp seeds, then season with fresh lemon juice, tahini and more salt if needed. Serve immediately.

Following a vegan diet can lead to several positive health outcomes, such as having a healthy heart. Switch to a vegan or plant-based diet today to keep your heart in good shape.

Sources:

Heart.org

MinimalistBaker.com