The Best (and Worst) Foods to Prevent Stroke

                  Stroke prevention food

Stroke kills about 5 million people worldwide per year. It’s the leading cause of permanent disability in the U.S., and it’s a rapidly growing threat for middle-aged women in particular. But if you want to prevent yourself and those you love from getting a stroke, there’s good news…

Basic lifestyle changes can have a big impact in reducing stroke risk. In fact, according to research, stroke is 80% preventable by addressing lifestyle factors, including improving diet, stopping smoking, and getting regular exercise.
The best way to prevent stroke is by improving your diet

According to Food Revolution Summit speaker Michael Greger, MD, the best way to avoid suffering from a stroke is to eat a whole foods, plant-based diet centered around vegetables, lentils, beans, seeds, whole grains, fruits, and nuts.

But to get the full benefits, plant-strong eaters must have a regular, reliable source of B12 — meaning B12-fortified foods or supplements.

Want to learn how to prevent stroke, heart disease, diabetes and other chronic diseases with food? The 6th annual Food Revolution Summit is a FREE, global, online event taking place from April 29th to May 7th. If you want to get informed, get inspired, and take action for your health, the health of those you love, and the health of the planet — this is an event you don’t want to miss. See more about it and join here now to get presentations from Dr. Greger and 23 other of the world’s top doctors and food and health experts: FoodRevolutionSummit.org.
Why do plant-based diets lower the risk of stroke?

One reason why plant-based diets protect against stroke is due to the fiber found in whole plant foods. Studies find that for every 7 grams of fiber you eat per day, you get nearly a 7% drop in the risk of first-time stroke. But less than 3% of Americans meet the minimum daily recommendation for fiber.

Plant foods are also filled with antioxidants. Antioxidant-packed foods help reduce inflammation and prevent plaque buildup in the arteries, and they also improve blood flow.

In a study of more than 30,000 older women over a period of 12 years, those who ate the most antioxidant-rich foods had the lowest stroke risk. (However, choosing antioxidant supplements didn’t appear to help.)

On average, plant foods contain 64 times more antioxidants than animal foods. But you should always strive for a variety of fruits, veggies, herbs, and spices at every meal, so you can continuously flood your body with a wide range of antioxidants.
Specific foods to consume regularly if you want to avoid stroke

Nuts

In one study, adding an ounce of nuts per day seemed to cut the risk of stroke in half.

In the U.S. alone, this could prevent 89,000 strokes per year.

Greens

According to studies led by Harvard researchers, greens turned out to be associated with the strongest protection against major chronic diseases, including a 20% reduction for strokes (and heart disease) for every additional serving.

Chocolate

According to population studies that followed people over time, those who ate chocolate appeared to have lower rates of stroke.

But the sugar and dairy that come with most types of chocolate aren’t linked to positive health outcomes, so dark chocolate with high cacao content is the best choice.

Citrus fruits

Citrus intake has been associated with lower stroke risk.

According to a study of 70,000 women published in the journal Stroke, women who consumed the most flavonoids from citrus fruits over a 14-year period had a 19% lower risk of stroke than women who consumed the fewest.

Whole grains

Eating whole grains has been found to be associated with a reduced risk of stroke. In his book How Not to Die, Dr. Greger recommends at least 3 servings of whole grains each day for stroke prevention.

Garlic

Garlic is a great choice for reducing stroke risk. A human study found that regular garlic consumption resulted in a 50% reduction in rates of stroke.

Tomatoes

High levels of lycopene, which is found in tomatoes, may be associated with a significantly reduced risk of stroke.

According to an analysis published in Neurology, which followed more than 1,000 Finnish men aged 46 to 55, those with the highest lycopene levels were 55% less likely to have a stroke.

Coffee and green tea

The results of a 13-year study of more than 80,000 Japanese adults found that those who drank at least one cup of coffee a day had a 20% reduced risk of stroke.

And those who drank 2 to 3 cups of green tea daily had a 14% reduced risk.

Potassium-rich foods

Eating more potassium-rich foods is associated with a significantly lower stroke risk. In one study, a 1,600 milligrams per day increase in potassium intake was associated with a 21% lower stroke risk — and this amount didn’t even bring many study participants to the minimum daily recommendations.

But less than 2% of Americans reach the daily potassium intake because most people don’t eat enough unprocessed plant foods.

Potassium is abundant in fruits and vegetables. Greens, beans, and sweet potatoes are excellent sources of potassium.

Magnesium-rich foods

According to a meta-analysis of studies, higher magnesium intake is associated with a reduced risk of stroke.
Beans, leafy greens, and whole grains are all loaded with magnesium.