Harvard says this is the perfect lunch to eat

Heart-healthy nitrates?
This 2021 report in the European Journal of Epidemiology was part of a larger body of research sponsored by the Danish Diet, Cancer, and Health Study, which looked at the data of over 56,000 people throughout the course of 23 years. Ultimately, the study tracks the correlations between diet, lifestyle, and the risk of developing cancer. But once the data was examined thoroughly, other correlations between diet and physical issues were also found.

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Over this 23-year period, participants filled out what researchers call a food-frequency questionnaire. It was found that those who consume at least one cup of vegetables every single day had anywhere from a 12% to a 26% decreased risk of heart disease over the two-decade period. Those who ate more than one cup of greens didn’t lower their risk for heart disease, so one cup is considered the most useful amount.

As to why this is, we all know that vegetables are fibrous, delicious bundles of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. A 2017 study from Nutrients states that vegetables have everything from antioxidants to anti-inflammatory properties. They can modulate enzyme production, regulate blood glucose, and lower lipid levels. But what about their effects on heart health?

Often in past research, scientists have hypothesized that one’s slightly lowered blood pressure after an extensive period of vegetable-eating is due to the nitrate quantity in vegetables. Nitrates provide one’s body with adequate levels of nitric oxide, which then serves as a vasodilator. A vasodilator relaxes the blood vessels, allowing more blood to go through, and the heart to pump less intensely. This is exactly the roadmap of how vegetables go from your plate to your heart.

This 2021 Danish study isn’t the first study to report the hidden value of nitrates. Studies say that nitrates are generally good for blood pressure and cardiovascular health and that they can help with everything from exercise performance to diabetes. As long as your body converts nitrates to nitric oxide in the right way, you can enjoy the benefits.

However, these aren’t the kind of nitrates you’ll find in hot dogs. Healthline reports that sodium nitrates are added to processed meats to keep them salty and preserved and that the high salt content in combination with nitrates can cause your body to convert these once healthy chemicals into nitrosamine. This harmful carcinogenic, or cancer-causing chemical, can disrupt the body’s systems if eaten in excess, creating conditions like gout, diabetes, or cancers. However, when naturally occurring in vegetables, nitrates without sodium provide the right amount of nitric oxide that can benefit one’s heart.

What should I put in my heart-healthy salad?
If you’re considering eating more vegetables to ensure a higher quality of heart health, you should be sure that you’re eating the right vegetables. The most nitrate-filled veggies are the leafy green type, along with beetroot.

Though you may be familiar with beetroot, as it’s just a fancy term for beets, green leafy vegetables are an entire category of vegetables you may never have heard of. It’s not just green, leafy foods like iceberg lettuce that hold all the nitrates you seek.

You’ll need earthier vegetables with a lower water content like kale, collard greens, arugula, or spinach. You can also try out some cabbage of romaine lettuce for size, though their lighter color indicates that they won’t be as nitrate-filled as their darker counterparts.

The ideal heart-healthy salad will probably look something like this, perhaps with romaine switched out for kale or arugula if you’re looking for higher nitrate content. If you’re not into the sometimes bitter taste of these intensely nutritious vegetables, you can put them in something like a vegetable lasagna or side dish.

The takeaway
One cup of leafy green vegetables per day may help you fend off early-onset cardiovascular disease. In general, a healthy lifestyle will also do you wonders if you’re looking to stave off heart troubles. But the nitrates in vegetables (not hot dogs) will certainly help as well.