Eating citrus fruit may lower stroke risk

Studies have shown higher fruit, vegetable and specifically 


vitamin C intake is associated with reduced stroke risk, says 


a researcher. 


A compound in citrus fruits may reduce women’s stroke 
risk, a study has said.


The study examines how consuming flavonoid subclasses 


affects the risk of stroke.

Flavonoids are a class of compounds present in fruits, 

vegetables, dark chocolate and red wine.

Flavonoids are thought to provide some of that protection 

through several mechanisms, including improved blood 

vessel function and an anti-inflammatory effect.

Researchers examined the relationship of the six main 

subclasses of flavonoids commonly consumed in the U.S. 

diet — flavanones, anthocyanins, flavan-3- ols, flavonoid 

polymers, flavonols and flavones — with risk of ischemic, 

hemorrhagic and total stroke.

As expected, the researchers didn’t find a beneficial 

association between total flavonoid consumption and stroke

 risk, as the biological activity of the sub-classes differ.

However, they found that women who ate high amounts of 

flavanones in citrus had a 19 per cent lower risk of blood 

clot-related (ischemic) stroke than women who consumed 

the least amounts.

More studies are needed to confirm the association between 

flavanone consumption and stroke risk, and to gain a better 

understanding about why the association occurs, the 

authors said.