Stroke, also known as cerebral apoplexy or cerebrovascular accident, refers to a group of disorders characterized by cerebral ischemic or hemorrhagic lesions. China has a high incidence of cerebrovascular diseases, with around 2 million new stroke cases each year. Three-quarters of survivors suffer varying degrees of labor incapacity. Major stroke risk factors include smoking, heavy drinking, hypertension, dyslipidemia, overweight and obesity, diabetes, atrial fibrillation or valvular heart disease, and hyperhomocysteinemia. Poor control of these risk factors is strongly linked to elevated stroke recurrence rates.
For stroke prevention, control of risk factors and disease treatment rely heavily on nutritional therapy, which serves as the foundation of comprehensive interventions including medication, rehabilitation and psychological support. Daily diet management is therefore of great significance. On August 1 this year, the National Health Commission released the Dietary Guidelines for Stroke Patients, detailing standardized nutritional interventions for stroke populations, as outlined below.
Personalized Diet Plans Tailored to Disease Stages
Dietitians shall conduct individualized nutritional assessments to design customized meal plans for stroke patients in different phases.
- Acute phase: Patients with impaired consciousness or dysphagia cannot take food orally. Enteral nutrition formulas or homogenized meals shall be delivered via nasogastric tube according to dietitian prescriptions, with energy and nutrient ratios adjusted based on individual conditions.
- Stable phase: If tube feeding is still required, regular meals are blended into smooth purees or pastes.
- Patients with dysphagia without feeding tubes: Solid foods are processed into puree or paste; thickeners may be added to thin liquids to boost viscosity and reduce aspiration pneumonia caused by choking.
When natural foods fail to meet energy and nutritional demands, food for special medical purposes may be supplemented under dietitian supervision.
Balanced Diet with Rational Nutrient Intake
Diversified food choices maintain proper nutrition and healthy body weight. Stroke patients shall consume five major food categories every day: cereals and tubers, vegetables and fruits, meat, poultry, fish, dairy and eggs, beans, and edible oils.
1. Cereals and tubers: Primary carbohydrate sources. Glucose is the sole energy fuel for the brain, which cannot store energy reserves, making carbohydrates indispensable. Carbohydrates shall account for 50%–65% of total daily energy intake. Combine refined and coarse grains, prioritizing high-fiber options such as cornmeal, oats, naked oats and brown rice.
2. Vegetables and fruits: Rich sources of vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. Prioritize varieties high in antioxidants, including spinach, rape, purple cabbage, kiwi, strawberries and cherries, while monitoring blood glucose for diabetic patients.
3. Meat, poultry, fish, dairy and eggs: Main protein suppliers. Stroke patients need a minimum protein intake of 1 g per kilogram of body weight daily, with animal protein making up roughly half of the total. Recommended daily portions: 300 g milk or dairy products, 25–50 g eggs, 50–75 g poultry, 75–100 g fish and shrimp. Choose low-fat varieties such as chicken breast, cod, silver carp, hairtail and common carp.
4. Beans and bean products: Supply high-quality plant protein, with a daily intake of 30–50 g advised.
5. Edible oils: Limit cooking oil to 25–30 g daily. Vegetable oils rich in unsaturated fatty acids that help lower blood lipids are preferred. Minimize animal fat and avoid deep-fried food, fatty pork and animal offal entirely.
Essential Nutrients for Stroke Prevention and Recovery
Supplementing folic acid and B-complex vitamins effectively reduces stroke onset and recurrence risk for both current and recovered stroke patients. Prioritize foods rich in folic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12.
1. Folic acid: A B vitamin abundant in fresh fruits, vegetables and meat. Folic acid is unstable under light and heat, so much of its activity is lost during storage and cooking: 50%–70% disappears after vegetables are stored for 2–3 days; 50%–95% is destroyed by long simmering; soaking vegetables in salt water also causes massive folic acid loss.
2. Vitamin B6: Plays a core role in bodily metabolism. It exists in both animal and plant foods, with higher bioavailability from animal sources. Rich supplies include white meat (chicken, fish), animal liver, beans, nuts and egg yolks; dairy products contain little vitamin B6, while bananas stand out among fruits and vegetables.
3. Vitamin B12: Deficiency blocks the conversion of homocysteine to methionine, leading to homocysteine accumulation and higher cardiovascular and cerebrovascular risk. Dietary vitamin B12 only comes from animal products: meat, fish, poultry, shellfish and eggs.
Folic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 degrade gradually with prolonged cooking and storage. Shorten cooking time, minimize food storage duration and consume plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables to cut stroke onset and recurrence risks.