The consumption of fruits and vegetables can reduce up to 40% the risk of lung disease in smokers

We all know how fundamental is the intake of fruits and vegetables daily, a basic step in our diet routine. But, in addition to all the studies that have corroborated these benefits, a new work has contributed an extra quality to the consumption of these foods in smokers.

The conclusion reached after analyzing thousands of people who habitually smoked is that the consumption of fruits and vegetables can reduce up to 40% the risk of suffering chronic lung disease in smokers. We tell you all the details and the amount of fruits and vegetables that should be eaten to reduce this risk.

COPD: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Specifically, the researchers of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm (Sweden) have focused on analyzing the way in which the consumption of fruits and vegetables affects the risk or the probability of suffering from COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) in smokers or ex-smokers.

The chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a disease that usually appear in smokers and usually characterized by a continuous difficulty breathing accompanied by certain sounds or wheezing and coughing widespread. A very common example of COPD is chronic bronchitis.

Significantly, the results of this study showed no significant advantages in the likelihood of suffering from obstructive pulmonary disease in non-smokers, with the reductions being limited only to the groups of patients studied who were or had been smokers.

Analysis and result of the study

The study published “Thorax”, one of the leading journals of pulmonology in the world, was a powerful work with a total of more than 40,000 volunteers observed, with middle and advanced ages (45-79 years), who did not show symptoms of COPD at the beginning of the study.

During a follow-up of more than 13 years (1998-2012), the researchers observed the appearance of lung disease in almost two thirds of the smokers or ex-smokers who were part of the group to follow. Data that corresponded to the expectation as previous studies, according to current guidelines, showed that at least 50% of habitual smokers end up suffering from COPD.

After dividing the volunteers into different groups according to their consumption of fruits and vegetables, from two to five servings per day, the results in the thousands of patients studied left no doubt, those who consumed more than five servings a day of fruits and vegetables They were 40% less likely to suffer from COPD than those who ate only two servings or less.

The antioxidant power of fruits and vegetables

According to the authors of the study, the antioxidant power of fruits and vegetables could be the key in the pulmonary protection against oxidative damage in people who are or have been smokers.

In the same way, specifying results, it was observed that the protection response also varied according to the type of fruit or vegetable consumed. Thus, the most significant reductions were in smokers who usually ate fruits such as pear or apple and green leafy vegetables.

Conclusions

Although this study only shows significant advantages in smokers or ex-smokers, the truth is that we should not forget that it is clearly because people who have a habit of smoking are the most likely to develop this type of chronic lung conditions.

Therefore, the consumption of fruits and vegetables daily is a food habit that we all must establish in our daily meal plan, a contribution that will not only be fundamental for smokers, but will be of great help to prevent multitude of cardiovascular diseases and a fundamental tool that can help us maintain our body weight.