Disease Proof

Ed Edelson of HealthDay News reports new research links nitrates found in leafy green vegetables to the body’s ability to produce nitric oxide. According to the report, nitric oxide molecules help relax blood vessels. Read on:

"What this study suggests is that the well-known beneficial effects of vegetables on cardiovascular disease may at least partly depend on nitrate," said Dr. Eddie Weitzberg, professor of anesthesiology and intensive care at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, and a leader of the study…


… Weitzberg said research on nitrates and high blood pressure will continue at the Karolinska Institute, in part because the researchers aren't sure about the mechanism of the nitrate effect.

While we wait for more research to be conducted, check out these previous posts for more on the powers of cruciferous vegetables:

• Nutrient Density of Green Vegetables
• "A Symphony of Phytonutrients" from Cruciferous Vegetables
• The Lancet: Cruciferous Vegetables Protect Against Lung Cancer
• Dr. Fuhrman's Anti-Cancer Solution