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February 23rd, 2012 
FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda THURSDAY, Feb. 23 (HealthDay News) — Eating oranges and other
citrus fruits may help reduce stroke risk, new research suggests.
Diets rich in fruits and vegetables have been linked with lower stroke
risk in other studies, but researchers weren’t sure why. For this study,
they zeroed in on compounds called flavanones present in citrus fruits and
found a winner.
“These data provide strong support for consuming more citrus fruits as
part of your daily fruit and vegetable intake” to reduce the risk of
ischemic [blood clot-related] stroke, said study leader Aedin Cassidy,
head of nutrition at Norwich Medical School at the University of East
Anglia in England.
It’s possible that the flavanones in citrus fruits improve blood vessel
function or reduce inflammation, which has been linked with stroke, the
researchers said.
For maximum benefit, whole fruits are preferable to juice because they
contain more flavanones and no added sugar, said Cassidy.
The study, published online Feb. 23 in the journal Stroke, was
funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
Flavanones are a type of dietary flavonoid already associated with
lower stroke risk. Besides fruits and vegetables, flavonoids are found in
red wine and dark chocolate.
For this study, the researchers focused on six subclasses of
flavonoids, including flavanones, to tease out the specific plant foods
that help reduce stroke risk.
The researchers evaluated 14 years of follow-up data from the U.S.
Nurses’ Health Study. The new research involved nearly 70,000 women who
reported their food intake every four years and included details on fruit
and vegetable consumption.
During the follow-up, 1,803 strokes occurred. About half were blood
clot-related, the study authors noted.
Total flavonoid intake did not reduce stroke risk, but intake of
flavanones did, the researchers said. Women who ate the most flavanones
had a 19 percent lower risk of blood-clot related stroke than those who
ate the least.
The investigators found that 95 percent of the flavanones consumed came
from citrus fruit and juice, mostly orange and grapefruit. Those consuming
the most citrus fruits and juice had a 10 percent reduced risk of stroke
compared with those eating none, Cassidy said.
Vitamin C, previously suggested as the source of the cardio-protective
effects, was not associated with lower stroke risk in this study.
Women with the lowest intake of flavanones took in about 150 milligrams
a day of flavonoids or less, compared to more than 470 milligrams a day in
the highest group.
A typical piece of citrus fruit contains 45 to 50 milligrams of
flavanones, Cassidy said.
The study authors pointed out that those who ate the most flavonoids
also smoked less and exercised more. They ate more fiber, vegetables and
fruit overall and consumed less caffeine and alcohol.
While the study uncovered an association between flavanone consumption
and reduced stroke risk, it did not prove a cause-and-effect
relationship.
Additional research is needed to better understand the association
between flavanone consumption and stroke risk, the authors said. While
this study only included women, Cassidy suspects the findings would apply
to men. “These studies now need to be done,” Cassidy said.
Hannah Gardener, an epidemiologist at the University of Miami Miller
School of Medicine department of neurology, said the study adds valuable
information to what is known about diet and stroke risk.
“There are several studies that have shown that greater consumption of
fruits and vegetables has been linked with reduced risk of stroke,” said
Gardener, who was not involved in the study. What the new research adds is
the focus on the subclasses of flavonoids, she said.
The bottom line? “It underscores the importance of fruit and vegetable
intake,” Gardener said. And it “provides evidence that citrus fruits in
particular may be important in terms of reducing stroke risk.”
The U.S. Dietary Guidelines of America 2010 suggest filling half your
plate with fruits and vegetables.
Cassidy and a co-author report receiving funding from Unilever Research
and GlaxoSmithKline to conduct trials and studies on flavonoid-rich foods
in the past.
More information
To learn more about dietary recommendations, go to the U.S. Department of
Agriculture.
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