If you want to lower your risk of stroke, it may be a good idea to toss some items in your cart from the produce section on your next trip to the supermarket.

A British study from January measured the vitamin C levels of more than 20,000 middle-aged and older men and women who'd never had a stroke, then followed them for an average of nearly 10 years.

Researchers found that people with the highest vitamin C levels had a 42-percent lower risk of stroke than people with the lowest levels. The high vitamin C was a good sign that people ate a lot of fruits and vegetables, which have been associated with a lower risk of stroke. It's a good idea to eat five to nine servings daily of a variety of fruits and vegetables for protection, experts say - however, earlier research hasn't found that vitamin C supplements reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Sources: Medical literature, wire services, and press releases

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