Dr. Michael Shechter from the Tel Aviv University’s Sackler School of Medicine and the Heart Institute of Sheba Medical Center, along with researchers from the Endocrinology Institute, looked inside the arteries of students consuming a wide range of foods and gauged what changes take place inside the body when food, unfit for the heart, is eaten.
Study details
For undertaking the study, 56 healthy volunteers were taken into account. They were segregated in four groups. One group was given a diet that comprised of a cornflake pulp mixed with milk, while the second was given a pure sugar mixture. The third group ate bran flakes and the last group was given a placebo (water).
The technique of “brachial reactive testing” was used on each group by Dr. Shechter over a period of four weeks. A cuff similar to the one used in measuring blood pressure was used in the test that can help picture arterial function in real time.
Dr. Shechter said that before any of the volunteers consumed food, arterial function was almost the same. But after eating, all the groups showed reduced arterial performance, except the placebo group. High peaks signifying arterial stress were seen in people who consumed foods with a high glycemic index, i.e. the cornflakes and sugar group.
It was discovered that foods having a high glycemic index made the brachial arteries swell for many hours.
“We knew high glycemic foods were bad for the heart. Now we have a mechanism that shows how. Foods like cornflakes, white bread, french fries, and sweetened soda all put undue stress on our arteries. We’ve explained for the first time how high glycemic carbs can affect the progression of heart disease,” explained Dr. Shechter.
When foods rich in sugar content are consumed, there seems to be a brief and abrupt dysfunctioning in the endothelial walls of the arteries. Endothelial health is the backbone on which the system of our whole body depends. Dr. Shechter said, “(It is) the riskiest of the risk factors.”
One of the parameters on which the health of the heart can be determined is the elasticity of arteries in the body. An unexpected expansion of the artery
wall can lead to many ill-effects on the health. This can decrease the elasticity and the person can ultimately suffer from a heart disease or even die.
Glycemic index (GI)
The glycemic index or GI is basically used to depict the variation in different types of carbohydrates by arranging them as per the affect they produce on our blood glucose levels. It is imperative that we choose foods that have low GI, as they bring about only minor changes in our blood glucose and insulin levels. This in turn keeps our heart healthy.
Dr. Shechter was quoted as saying, “It’s very hard to predict heart disease.” He further added, “But doctors know that high glycemic foods rapidly increase blood sugar. Those who binge on these foods have a greater chance of sudden death from heart attack. Our research connects the dots, showing the link between diet and what’s happening in real time in the arteries.”
The researchers are of the view that the new findings will completely change the perspective on how a poor diet causes serious harm to the body.
Foods with a low GI should be eaten
Foods with a low GI like oatmeal, fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts are recommended by Dr. Shechter. Also, exercising daily for about 30 minutes increases the longevity of the heart.
The latest study findings have been published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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