A very large February 2020 study by the Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford said, "The most important finding is that higher consumption of both dietary fibre and fruit and vegetables was strongly associated with lower risks of ischaemic stroke, which supports current European guidelines. The general public should be recommended to increase their fibre and fruit and vegetable consumption, if they are not already meeting these guidelines.”

"Our study also highlights the importance of examining stroke subtypes separately, as the dietary associations differ for ischaemic and haemorrhagic stroke, and is consistent with other evidence, which shows that other risk factors, such as cholesterol levels or obesity, also influence the two stroke subtypes differently."

Lowering the Risk

  • Each additional 10g of fibre = 23% lower risk

  • 200g of fruit and vegetables =13% lower risk

Examples

Two slices wholemeal toast = 6.6g fibre

Eight round florets of broccoli = 3g fibre

Unpeeled apple = 1.2g fibre.

Suggested Daily Targets

400g of fruit and vegetables

30-45g of fibre

Higher Risk

Each additional 20g of eggs = 25% higher risk of haemorrhagic stroke

Large egg = 60g.