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By Stephen Beech
Beans are best for men while broccoli is better for young women when it comes to heart health, according to new research.
The vegetables people eat in their twenties can shape health and well-being for the rest of their lives, a new study suggests.
And scientists say men and women may benefit from consuming different veggies.
The Australian study found that young men and women may respond differently to specific vegetables.
Certain types potentially offer greater protection against future heart disease and type 2 diabetes - depending on your sex, according to the findings published in the journal Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases.
Lead researcher Neal McNamara, of Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Western Australia, said: "It's not just about piling on greens.
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"We saw very clear sex-based differences.
"Beans for blokes and broccoli for women stood out as the real winners."
The study that followed people for the first 37 years of their lives found that young men who ate more legumes - such as beans, lentils and peas - were "significantly less likely" to show early warning signs of heart disease.
Young women who ate more cruciferous vegetables - including broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage – were significantly less likely to show early warning signs of diabetes and heart disease.
Therese O'Sullivan, of ECU's Nutrition and Health Innovation Research Institute, said: "Our findings suggest that men and women may process some nutrients and plant compounds from vegetables differently.
"For example, natural compounds found in legumes may affect testosterone more strongly, while compounds found in cruciferous vegetables may have a greater effect on female hormones like estrogen and progesterone."
She says adding just one serve a day of the right vegetables was linked to a much lower health risk - even in people in their early twenties.
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The research team looked at early indicators of chronic disease including waist circumference, blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides and blood sugar - warning signs that often go unnoticed in young adults.
O'Sullivan said: "These risk factors are appearing earlier than most people would expect.
"Nearly one in five participants already showed multiple risk factors, despite being young adults."
With cost-of-living pressures on the rise, the research team say the good news is that the most beneficial vegetables are affordable and already part of the diets of many people.
ECU Senior Research Fellow Lauren Blekkenhorst said: "These veggies can easily be thrown into a pasta, stir-fry, salad or a Sunday roast."
She says the best time to build habits that protect your future health is in your twenties.
Blekkenhorst added: "What you eat now matters - and choosing to eat these veggies every day could make a real difference on how long - and how well - you live your life."
The research team said their findings warrant further long-term dietary trials.
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