A Healthy Diet Helps Prevent Cardiovascular Disease

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Introduction
In the past decades the incidence of heart disease has increased, about three million people dying of cardiovascular disease in China per year (according to statistics from the Ministry of Public Health of China), which draws people’s great concern to find ways to take precautions. With the development of element analytical method, some types of chemical substances that are beneficial to cardiac health have been found. Lycopene is a very popular natural anti-oxidants found in recent years (Dai, 2011), as well as capsaicin and dietary fiber. Whilst some research focuses on the mechanism of action, little attention has been paid to usability issues, in particular to the generalization of health-giving chemical substances in ordinary meals. There is a lot of evidence that vegetables can positively contribute to prevent heart diseases, by supplying biologically active components. This article continues previous research in the field of Biochemistry and Medical Science, mainly trying to study the effective components which can prevent heart disease in edible vegetables.

Lycopene
Lycopene is a member of the carotenoids pigment family that conveys bright red color to many plants. Its name is obtained primarily from tomato. Lycopene is currently considered one of the most efficient antioxidants, protecting against free radicals that accelerate aging and damage critical parts of the cell (Liu, 2008). Recent studies have shown an inverse relationship between intake of tomatoes along with tissue lycopene levels and the incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD).
Biological Function. Vau Herpen-Broekmans et al. (2004) evaluated the association between serum antioxidants and markers of endothelial function in 379 subjects sampled...

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...sease. (Hu, 2002)

Conclusion
In summary, two of the effective components which can prevent heart disease in edible vegetables have already been found—the lycopene and dietary fiber. They have various edible sources for people’s consumption. While much has already been learned about these two biologically active substances, much remains to be learned. It is also important to understand the possible influence of other biologically active components, as well as people’s daily diet to keep cardiac health according to the research.
Current dietary recommendations emphasize increasing the daily consumption of fruits and vegetables from diverse sources such as citrus fruits, cruciferous vegetables, and green and yellow vegetables (Heber, 2002). A healthy diet along with proper life style such as regular physical activity can prevent the majority of cardiovascular disease.

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