Elderly women that eat lots of broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and cabbage have less plaque on their carotid artery walls, reducing risk of strokes and heart attacks, a new study shows.

Researchers from the University of Western Australia surveyed 854 Australian women over the age of 70 to determine their vegetable intake, and then used sonograms to measure their carotid artery wall thickness to ascertain the severity of carotid plaque. Those eating the most cruciferous vegetables had a .05 millimeter lower carotid artery wall thickness compared to those with the lowest intake.

“That is likely significant, because a 0.1 millimeter decrease in carotid wall thickness is associated with a 10 to 18 percent decrease in risk of stroke and heart attack,” says lead study author Lauren Blekkenhorst. Other vegetables, including leafy greens and alliums like onions, were not found to have the same protective effect.

This article appears in the September 2018 issue of Natural Awakenings.