Eat greens, hit the gym

Published Jan 13, 2016

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London - Eating cabbage and leafy green vegetables could increase the amount of exercise people do.

That is the extraordinary suggestion from researchers at the University of South Australia and other centres.

Previous studies found that when lutein, an antioxidant found in certain veg, was given to rats, they used the exercise wheels in their cages more, compared with a placebo group.

The researchers found people with high lutein levels are more physically active.

They suggested the antioxidant can accumulate in areas of the brain associated with regulating behaviour, and could then change behaviour to increase physical activity.

The richest dietary sources of lutein are green veg, including spinach, kale, courgettes, broccoli, green beans and asparagus.

Daily Mail

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