Vegetarian Diet Reduces Risk of Heart Attack

Favoring fruits and vegetables over animal products reduces risk of dying from a heart attack, according to an abstract presented at an American Heart Association meeting this month. Researchers assessed the diets of 450,000 European adults as part of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study and followed their medical status for about 12 years. Those whose diets were richest in plant-based foods experienced a 20 percent lower risk of dying from a heart attack when compared to those whose diets consisted mostly of meat, fish, dairy, and eggs. The researchers suggest that shifting to a plant-based dietary pattern can improve your chances of survival and benefit your health overall.