Yahoo – AFP,
20 May 2014
 |
Nitro fatty
acids are formed when consuming spinach, celery and carrots
that are filled
with nitrates and nitrites, along with avocado, nuts and olive
oils that
contain healthy fats.
|
The secret
to the Mediterranean diet may be in the salad.
Eating
unsaturated fats, like those in olive oil, along with leafy greens and other
vegetables creates a certain kind of fatty acid that lowers blood pressure,
scientists said Monday.
These nitro
fatty acids are formed when consuming spinach, celery and carrots that are
filled with nitrates and nitrites, along with avocado, nuts and olive oils that
contain healthy fats.
Nitro fatty
acids appear to inhibit an enzyme known as soluble epoxide hydrolase, which
regulates blood pressure, said the research in the Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences, a peer-reviewed US journal.
The study
was based on experiments in lab mice, and was funded by the British Heart
Foundation.
"The
findings of our study help to explain why previous research has shown that a Mediterranean
diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil or nuts can reduce the incidence
of cardiovascular problems like stroke, heart failure and heart attacks,"
said Philip Eaton, professor of cardiovascular biochemistry at King's College
London.
While most
experts agree that the Mediterranean diet -- which consists of lots of
vegetables, fish, grains, red wine and fatty nuts and oils -- brings health
benefits, there has been little scientific consensus about how or why.
Some have
touted red wine as a driving force behind the ability of Europeans to eat high
fat cheeses and meats while maintaining better overall health than Americans.
But
research published last week found that a key antioxidant in red wine,
resveratrol, did not help people in Italy live longer or avoid cancer or heart
disease.
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