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Eating white flesh fruits like apples and pears was associated with a significant dip in the risk of stroke, is a large new study by Dutch researchers.
Although recent studies have touted the brightly colored fruits and vegetables as the healthiest - sweet potatoes orange, green cabbage and bright blueberries, for example - he was humbly the apples and pears in pale flesh that came out as the big winners in the new study.
The researchers analyzed data on more than 20,000 men and women aged 20 to 65 who were healthy and free of cardiovascular disease at baseline 10 years. Based on questionnaires completed by the participants, the researchers tracked their consumption of fruits and vegetables by color: green (broccoli, kale, spinach and other leafy greens), orange / yellow (citrus fruits, carrots, peaches), red / purple (tomatoes, beets, cherries) and white (apples, including applesauce, pears, bananas, cauliflower, cucumber, chicory).
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Overall, the white category was the most widely consumed time color groups this represents 36% of all products consumed. The most common foods in this group were apples, pears and applesauce.
The researchers followed the participants for a decade, logging the number of people suffered strokes. There were 233. When the rate of stroke was compared with the participants' diet, the researchers found no association with the amount of fruit and brightly colored vegetables they ate, a bit of a surprise being as the phytochemicals that lend their color these foods have been linked to heart health and a lower risk of cancer.
The participants who consumed 171 grams of daily whitefish products, however - the equivalent of a medium to large apple - were 52% less likely to have suffered a stroke than people who ate less than 78 grams of white goods. Overall, 25 grams of white fruit consumed each day, participants saw a 9% reduction in the risk of stroke.
It is unclear why white fruits can be associated with such a dramatic effect on stroke and the authors cautioned that the results need to be replicated before making specific recommendations on white fruits. But it is known that diets rich in fiber - found in apples and pears - contribute to overall cardiovascular health. And as Tara Parker-Pope's Well blog notes: "The fruits also contain a number of nutrients and phytochemicals, including flavonols quercetin, which may have anti-inflammatory properties."
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As other research based on self-reported questionnaires, the the study is limited by the potentially faulty memories people about what they ate. However, the study was large and the population based and tends to support some widely accepted nutritional advice :. Eating fruits and vegetables is good for your health
The study was published Thursday in Course :. Journal of the American Heart Association and was funded by grants combined Dutch and European public health agencies and the Council of Dutch horticultural products
Meredith Melnick is a journalist TIME . Find her on Twitter at @MeredithCM. You can also continue the discussion on TIME Facebook page and on Twitter at @TIME.
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