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Eating just one cup of leafy green vegetables each day could boost muscle function, according to new research from Edith Cowan University.
Eating just one cup of leafy green vegetables each day could boost muscle function, according to new research from Edith Cowan University (ECU).
The study, published today in the Nutrition Journal, found that people who ate a diet high in nitrates, mainly vegetables, had significantly better muscle function in their lower limbs.
Poor muscle function is linked to an increased risk of falls and fractures and is considered a key indicator of overall health and well-being.
The researchers looked at data from 3,759 Australians participating in the AusDiab study at the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne over a 12-year period. They found that those with the highest regular nitrate intake had 11 percent greater lower limb strength than those with the lowest nitrate intake. Up to 4% faster walking speeds were also recorded.
Lead researcher Dr Marc Sim of the ECU’s Nutritional Research Institute said the findings reveal important evidence for the role diet plays in overall health.
“Our study showed that diets high in vegetables high in nitrates can build muscle strength independent of any physical activity,” he said.
“Nevertheless, to optimize muscle function, we suggest that a balanced diet rich in green leafy vegetables combined with regular exercise, including strength training, is ideal.”
Muscle function is vital for maintaining good overall health, especially strong bones later in life.
“With about one in three Australians over the age of 65 experiencing a fall each year, it is important to find ways to prevent these events and their potentially serious consequences,” said Dr Sim.
Go green
While leafy greens are among our least favorite vegetables, they could be the most important, according to Dr. Sim.
Research found that vegetables high in nitrates, such as lettuce, spinach, kale, and even beets, offered the greatest health benefits.
“Fewer than one in ten Australians eat the recommended five to six servings of vegetables per day,” said Dr Sim.
“We should be consuming a variety of vegetables every day, at least one of which is leafy greens to achieve a range of musculoskeletal and cardiovascular health benefits.
“It is also better to eat vegetables rich in nitrates as part of a healthy diet rather than taking supplements. Green leafy vegetables provide a variety of essential vitamins and minerals essential for good health. “
Building knowledge
The study, in collaboration with Deakin University’s Institute of Physical Activity and Nutrition and the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, builds on Dr. Sim’s previous research on nitrates and muscle function in women. elderly.
It also adds to the growing evidence linking vegetables to cardiovascular health, including a recent ECU study on cruciferous vegetables and blood vessel health.
Dr Sim said the next step in his research will be to explore strategies to increase the consumption of leafy green vegetables in the general population.
“We are currently recruiting for the MODEL study, which is examining how disease knowledge can be used to influence people to improve their diet and exercise over the long term,” said Dr Sim.
Reference: “Dietary nitrate intake is positively associated with muscle function in men and women regardless of level of physical activity” March 24, 2021, Nutrition Journal.
DOI: 10.1093 / jn / nxaa415
The Nutrition Research Institute was established as an ECU Strategic Research Institute in 2020. Learn more about their work
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