Green leafy vegetables are essential for muscle strength

Eating just one cup of green leafy vegetables a day could stimulate muscle activity, according to a new Edith Cowan University (ECU) study.

The study, published today in the Journal of Nutrition, found that people who ate a nitrate-rich diet, mostly from vegetables, had significantly better muscle activity.

Poor muscle function is associated with an increased risk of falls and fractures and is considered a key indicator of overall health and well-being.

Researchers analyzed data from 3,759 Australians participating in the Melbourne Institute of Heart and Diabetes AusDiab study over a 12-year period. They found that those with the highest regular nitrate intake had lower arm strength than those with the lowest nitrate intake. Up to 4 per cent faster walking speeds were also recorded.

Lead researcher Dr Marc Sim from the ECU Nutrition Research Institute said the findings reveal important evidence for the role of diet in overall health.

“Our study has shown that diets high in nitrate-rich vegetables can boost your muscle strength independently of any physical activity,” he said.

“Nevertheless, to increase muscle activity we recommend that a balanced diet rich in green leafy vegetables in conjunction with regular exercise, including weight training, is extremely appropriate.”

Muscle activity is essential for maintaining good overall health, especially bone strength later in life.

“With around one in three Australians over 65 suffering a fall each year, it is important to find ways to prevent these events and their potential side effects,” said Dr Sim. .

Go for green

While leafy greens may be some of our favorite vegetables, they can be just as important, according to Dr. Sim.

The research found that vegetables rich in nitrate, such as lettu, spinach, cabbage and even beets, provided the greatest health benefits.

“Less than one in ten Australians eat five to six servings of vegetables a day,” said Dr Sim.

“We should eat a mixture of vegetables every day, with at least one serving serving being green to get a range of positive health benefits for the muscular and cardiovascular system.”

“It’s also better to eat nitrate-rich vegetables as part of a healthy diet than to take medicines. Green-leafed vegetables provide a full range of vitamins and minerals essential for health.”

Building knowledge

The study, a collaboration with Deakin University’s Institute of Physical Activity and Nutrition and Baker’s Institute of Heart and Diabetes, builds on Dr. Sim’s previous study of nitrate and muscle activity in older women.

It also contributes to growing evidence linking vegetables to cardiovascular health, including a recent ECU study of cruciferous vegetables and blood vessel health.

Dr Sim said the next phase of his research will examine strategies to increase green leafy vegetable consumption in the general population.

“We are currently recruiting for the MODEL Study, which will examine how knowledge of disease can be used to motivate people to make long-term improvements to their diet and exercise,” the council said. Dr. Sim.

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‘Diet nitrate diet positively linked to muscle activity in men and women independent of physical activity levels’ was published in the Journal of Nutrition.

The Institute for Nutritional Research was established as the ECU Strategic Research Institute in 2020. Find out more about their work.