Health & Well-Being

Certain foods can benefit your health, but when do those health benefits kick in? If you eat more fruits and vegetables, when do they start lowering your risk for cancer? If you eat more fish, when does that start helping your heart? Let’s answer some of those questions, with new food intel we found in Prevention magazine.

• When do fruits and vegetables start lowering your risk for cancer? Experts say the cancer-fighting antioxidants found in all fruits and vegetables kick in almost immediately! However, those antioxidants will only remain active for a few hours. So it’s important to eat several servings of fruits and veggies every day. That’ll refill your body’s supply of antioxidants, and improve its ability to repair the cell damage which causes cancer.
• When does Vitamin B-6 start helping you beat stress? Vitamin B-6 is mostly found in foods like russet potatoes, chickpeas or chicken. According to new research from Tufts University, you can expect to feel less stressed within an hour of digesting vitamin B-6. That’s because B-6 makes it easier for the brain to process the body’s feel-good chemical dopamine. So, if you’re feeling blue, try adding a chicken breast to your next meal.
• When will a diet rich in potassium begin to lower blood pressure? In one new study, high blood pressure patients who ate a full serving of potassium every day were able to lower their blood pressure to safe levels within one week! There’s a catch, though: You need to get all your potassium from food – like potatoes, peaches, clams, or bananas.
• How long will it take for fish to improve your heart-health? Experts say some of the heart-health benefits of eating seafood like salmon kick in immediately. To get the full benefits, you’ll need to eat fish consistently for about two months. That way, your body will become saturated with the omega-3 fatty acids which help ward off heart disease.