His team’s analysis showed that people with the highest dietary intake of nitrates, mostly from vegetables, had 11% greater lower limb strength than those with the lowest intake. According to the study published March 24 in the Journal of Nutrition, those who have high levels of nitrate in their diet also have up to 4% faster walking speeds.
Vegetables high in nitrates such as lettuce, spinach, kale and beets provided the greatest health benefits, the researchers found. Everyone should eat a variety of vegetables each day with at least one serving of leafy greens “to achieve a range of musculoskeletal and cardiovascular health benefits,” Sim advised.
“Muscle function is vital for maintaining good overall health, especially strong bones later in life,” he noted. “It’s also better to eat vegetables rich in nitrates as part of a healthy diet rather than taking supplements,” he said. “Green leafy vegetables provide a whole range of essential vitamins and minerals essential for health.”
“To optimize muscle function, we suggest that a balanced diet rich in green leafy vegetables in combination with regular exercise, including strength training, is ideal,” Sim added in a college press release. The results, drawn from data on nearly 3,800 volunteers, show the important role that diet plays in overall health, according to Sim.
The National Institute on Aging in the United States has more on healthy eating. More information
Source SOURCE: Edith Cowan University, press release, March 24, 2021
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