Southern foods may cause a stroke - WTVM.com-Columbus, GA News Weather & Sports

Southern foods may cause a stroke

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(WTVM) -

According to new research, deep-fried foods may be causing trouble in the Deep South.

 

A study from the University of Alabama in Birmingham shows people whose diets have lots of fried foods and sugary drinks like sweet tea and soda were more likely to suffer a stroke.

People who ate about six meals a week containing these sorts of foods had a 41 percent higher stroke risk than people who ate that way about once a month.

There are three reasons why this food may lead to stroke, said Suzanne Judd, lead researcher and a nutritional epidemiologist at UAB.

Sugary drinks are linked to diabetes; fatty foods are high in cholesterol; and salty foods lead to high blood pressure.

In contrast, people whose diets were high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fish had a 29 percent lower stroke risk.

"Eating vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains and some lean meats like poultry appears to reduce stroke risk," Judd said.

That reduced risk was based on eating those foods at least three times a week.

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