Vegetables

Vegetables and Miscarriage

Eating vegetables lowers risk of miscarriage by 40%

The risk of miscarriage was inversely and significantly related to green vegetable consumption. The multivariate odds ratios was 0.6 for green vegetables, in women reporting 14 or more portions per week in comparison to those consuming fewer than seven portions/week. No consistent association emerged between carrots intake and the risk of miscarriage. (Adjusted for age, BMI, marital status, education, number of previous miscarriages, coffee and alcohol intake before pregnancy)

http://www.mendeley.com/research/dietary-factors-risk-spontaneous-abortion/#page-1

Eating fruits and vegetables lowers risk of miscarriage by 46%

A study of thousands of pregnant women revealed those who ate fresh fruits and vegetables daily in pregnancy were 46 percent less likely to have a miscarriage compared to those who did not use fruits and veggies as often.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1471-0528.2006.01193.x/full

Vegetables and Fertility

Eating more vegetable protein and less meat improves fertility

In a study of some 17,000 women conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health, researchers were able to define a group of "fertility foods" able to improve odds. Increasing intake of vegetable protein (like soy), while reducing animal protein (like red meat) was one key dietary tenet to increasing fertility.

http://www.webmd.com/baby/features/getting-pregnant-easy-ways-to-encourage-fertility

Vegetables lowers androstenedione by 9%

In contrast, higher dietary fiber intake was associated with lower serum levels of androstenedione (higher in women who miscarry) (-8% between the lowest and highest quartiles of intake), but not estrogens. Similarly, consumption of fruits (-12%), vegetables (-9%) and whole grains (-7%) showed inverse associations with androstenedione levels. CONCLUSIONS: The consistency of the observed differences in sex hormone levels associated with fiber-rich foods indicates that these nutritional factors may affect sex hormone concentrations and play a role in breast cancer etiology and prevention.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17010253

Vegetables and Homocysteine

Eating cruciferous vegetables daily lowers homocysteine 16.5%, eating peppers daily lowers it 6.3%

Multivariate-adjusted total homocysteine concentrations were approximately 6.3% higher in subjects who never consumed peppers (includes red, yellow, green, and hot chili peppers) than in those who consumed peppers >30 times/mo, and approximately 16.5% higher in subjects who never consumed cruciferous vegetables than in those who consumed cruciferous vegetables >30 times/mo. Consumption of citrus fruit and juices had no significant association with total homocysteine.

http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/full/80/6/1500