Eating a cup of green leafy vegetables (about 75-100 grams) per day can significantly improve muscle function. This benefit is not only limited to increasing mobility, but also contributes to improving overall physical health, supporting the bone system and reducing the risk of falls with age, especially important for the elderly. The main reason comes from the abundant natural nitrate content in these vegetables, which helps enhance muscle activity.
A 12-year study conducted by scientists at Edith Cowan University (Perth, Australia) on 3,759 volunteers examined the link between diet, diabetes, obesity and lifestyle. The results showed that people who consumed a lot of nitrate-rich vegetables had 11% better lower limb muscle function and an average knee alignment strength of 2.6 kg higher than the less-eating group. In addition, this group also had faster walking speeds.
On average, volunteers absorb about 65 mg of nitrate per day, of which more than 81% comes from vegetables. Notably, muscle-strengthening benefits still appear even when not combined with physical exercise. However, scientists still recommend maintaining exercise, especially weightlifting, to optimize effectiveness.
Dr. Marc Sim, head of research at the Institute of Nutrition at Edith Cowan University, recommends that each person should eat 5-6 servings of vegetables per day, of which at least one serving is green leafy vegetables to support muscle and cardiovascular health.
Not only good for muscles, nitrated vegetables also bring significant benefits to the cardiovascular system. Some studies show that they can help lower blood pressure and enhance the activity of antioxidant enzymes. In an animal experiment, the addition of beetroot juice has tripled the activity of the enzyme superoxide dismutase, an important antioxidant that also contributes to reducing oxidative stress and improving cardiovascular health.
