What’s up doc? Though Bugs Bunny’s favorite
munchable—carrots—may not keep him safe from Elmer Fudd, they
may just keep him from dying of heart disease. In a recent study
published in the Journal of Nutrition, Dutch researchers
reported that eating foods rich in alpha- and beta-carotene
(precursors to vitamin A) lowers the risk of cardiovascular
disease. The researchers followed the diets of 559 men for 15
years and concluded that carotenes in food reduced the risk of
dying from heart disease by almost 20 percent. Aside from
munching on more fresh and cooked carrots, boost your intake of
sweet potato and dark leafy greens such as spinach, collards,
and kale, which are naturally high in alpha- and beta-carotene.