ABSTRACT
Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a multifactorial disease which involves a number of interrelated risk factors (Table 1); however, a major environmental influence is undoubtedly diet [1]. Dietary factors that contribute to disease prevention include the reduction in the intake of saturated fat and an increase in the consumption of a plantbased diet containing fruits, vegetables, and grains. These observations have been translated into guidelines and appear consistently in the dietary goals of many countries and organizations that promote cardiac health, such as the American Heart Association [2]. The inverse association between fruit and vegetable intake and CHD is consistent across different geographical locations and in populations that differ markedly in lifestyle, gender, and age. It has been suggested that the lower rate of CHD is attributed to such factors as the displacement of foods that are high in salt, caloric density, and saturated fat by fruits and vegetables; the increase in intake of dietary fiber, minerals, folate, and vitamins, all of which exhibit antioxidant action; and an increase in intake of plant-derived constituents known as phytochemicals.
