What Foods Increase VEGF and the Context for Vascular Health

November 1, 2025 •

4 min read

According to scientific research, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) is a key protein that promotes angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels. Therefore, understanding what foods increase VEGF is a key area of interest for modulating vascular health, though the benefits and risks depend heavily on individual health contexts, such as preventing ischemic disease versus managing conditions like cancer.

Quick Summary

Dietary choices significantly influence Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF), a protein crucial for blood vessel formation. This article explores specific food components and patterns, including healthy nutrients and certain processed foods, that can influence VEGF levels, emphasizing that the impact is context-dependent for managing conditions like heart disease, obesity, or cancer.

Key Points

VEGF's Dual Role: Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) promotes the growth of new blood vessels, a process called angiogenesis, which is vital for healing but can be harmful in conditions like cancer.
Pro-Angiogenic Nutrients: Some dairy proteins, like lactadherin, and the amino acid glycine have been linked to promoting angiogenesis in studies.
Anti-Angiogenic Powerhouses: Many plant-based foods, rich in polyphenols, flavonoids, and carotenoids, contain compounds that inhibit excessive or abnormal angiogenesis.
The Mediterranean Advantage: A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, olive oil, and fish supports healthy vascular function and balances angiogenic markers.
Harmful Dietary Triggers: Diets high in saturated fats, trans fats, and sugar can induce oxidative stress and upregulate VEGF in negative health contexts, such as obesity and metabolic dysfunction.
Exercise as a Modulator: Regular, moderate exercise promotes healthy, functional angiogenesis, supporting muscle and organ health in a way that differs from pathological blood vessel growth.
Context is Crucial: The desirability of increasing or decreasing VEGF through diet depends entirely on an individual's specific health condition and should be approached with professional medical guidance.

Understanding VEGF and Angiogenesis

To understand how food affects Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF), it is first necessary to grasp the concept of angiogenesis. Angiogenesis is the physiological process involving the growth of new blood vessels from pre-existing ones. This process is essential for many bodily functions, including wound healing, growth, and reproduction. VEGF is the primary driver of this process, acting as a signaling protein that stimulates endothelial cells to form new blood vessels.

However, angiogenesis is a double-edged sword. While crucial for healing and recovery from conditions like ischemic heart disease, excessive or unregulated angiogenesis can fuel the growth of tumors and contribute to other diseases, including obesity and certain diabetic complications. This is why the context behind wanting to increase VEGF is so important.

Dietary Factors That May Increase VEGF

While the science is complex and often based on animal studies or specific cell cultures, several dietary components have been observed to have pro-angiogenic effects or are associated with increased VEGF levels.

Certain Dairy Proteins

Some research has indicated that proteins found in dairy products, such as milk angiogenin-2 and milk lactadherin, can have pro-angiogenic properties. Studies on breast cancer patients also found a correlation between dairy product intake and the upregulation of VEGF-A. This suggests a nuanced role for dairy, with some components potentially promoting blood vessel growth.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Specific Scenarios

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), found in fatty fish, walnuts, and flaxseeds, have a complex relationship with angiogenesis. While known for their anti-inflammatory properties that support overall vascular health, some studies on specific health models have observed that Omega-3 supplementation can increase placental VEGF levels. However, other studies have shown that Omega-3 can inhibit angiogenesis in cancer models, indicating their effects are highly dependent on the physiological context.

Glycine

Research has identified the amino acid glycine as a key mediator in VEGF signaling pathways. Glycine is required for certain VEGF signals that promote endothelial cell proliferation and migration. This suggests that sufficient dietary protein intake, which includes glycine, is necessary for supporting healthy angiogenesis. Glycine is widely available in protein-rich foods like meat, fish, dairy, and legumes.

High-Fat and High-Sugar Diets

Evidence shows that diets high in saturated fats, trans fats, and excess sugar can increase pro-angiogenic factors and negatively impact vascular health. For instance, studies have shown that high-fat and high-sugar diets can induce endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress, which subsequently upregulates VEGF expression in various tissues. In obese individuals, this is particularly problematic as it can contribute to metabolic dysfunction.

Foods with Anti-Angiogenic Compounds

On the other side of the coin are foods known for their anti-angiogenic properties, which are often beneficial in controlling conditions involving excessive blood vessel growth, such as cancer or obesity.

Polyphenols and Flavonoids: Compounds like epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) in green tea, resveratrol in grapes and red wine, and quercetin in onions, apples, and berries can suppress VEGF signaling.
Carotenoids: Lycopene from tomatoes and beta-carotene from carrots are antioxidants that may interfere with pro-angiogenic signaling.
Curcumin: The active compound in turmeric has been shown to block pathways involved in angiogenesis and reduce VEGF expression.
Cruciferous Vegetables: Broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables can support liver function, which helps manage hormonal balance and vessel health.

The Role of Exercise

Physical activity can also modulate VEGF levels and angiogenesis in a healthy, beneficial way. Regular, moderate exercise stimulates blood flow and triggers the release of growth factors, including VEGF, to build and expand the blood supply to muscles, the brain, and other organs. This promotes healthy vascularization and is distinct from the pathological angiogenesis associated with disease states.

Comparing Dietary Impact on VEGF


Feature	Foods/Nutrients That May Increase VEGF	Foods/Nutrients with Anti-Angiogenic Effects
Mechanism	Stimulate pro-angiogenic signaling pathways, potentially exacerbated by inflammation or oxidative stress.	Inhibit VEGF expression and block pathways involved in blood vessel growth.
Examples	Dairy products (proteins like lactadherin and angiogenin-2), Glycine, high-fat/high-sugar diets.	Green tea (EGCG), Tomatoes (lycopene), Turmeric (curcumin), Berries (polyphenols).
Associated Health	May be beneficial for healing and ischemic conditions, but linked to worsened metabolic outcomes in obesity.	Generally protective against abnormal angiogenesis associated with cancer and other chronic diseases.
Recommendation	Consumption should be balanced and considered within the context of overall health and lifestyle, avoiding excesses of unhealthy fats and sugars.	Focus on a plant-forward diet rich in these foods to support healthy angiogenesis regulation.

Conclusion

Understanding what foods increase VEGF reveals that the role of diet in angiogenesis is not straightforward. While certain nutrients and dietary patterns can influence VEGF levels, the outcome—whether beneficial or detrimental—is highly dependent on an individual's overall health and physiological state. For most people, a balanced diet rich in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-rich plant-based foods, like those in the Mediterranean diet, is protective against the abnormal, disease-promoting angiogenesis. However, in contexts of ischemic disease or injury, specific nutrients that support healthy vascular growth may be desirable.

Before making significant dietary changes with the goal of modulating VEGF, it is essential to consult with a healthcare professional. A comprehensive, personalized approach is necessary to ensure any dietary strategy aligns with your specific health needs and goals. For more information on dietary influences on health, consider exploring resources from reputable health organizations like the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Frequently Asked Questions

While diet can influence VEGF expression and signaling, significant changes are often associated with larger physiological shifts, disease states, or more direct medical interventions. Dietary changes should be seen as a supportive measure within a broader health plan.

No. The effect of foods depends on your health context. For a person with cancer, anti-angiogenic foods might be beneficial, whereas for someone recovering from an ischemic injury, certain pro-angiogenic factors could be helpful. The context is key.

It is crucial to consult a healthcare professional before attempting to specifically increase your VEGF levels, especially if you have an underlying health condition. Unregulated increases in angiogenesis can be detrimental in some diseases.

Antioxidants found in many fruits and vegetables help reduce oxidative stress, which can trigger abnormal VEGF production. By controlling oxidative stress, antioxidants help regulate healthy VEGF levels.

Not necessarily. The link between dairy proteins and VEGF is complex and context-dependent. Dairy intake should be considered as part of your overall dietary pattern and health status. Opting for lower-fat dairy and balancing it with plenty of plant-based foods is a good strategy for most.

A diet high in sugar can promote oxidative stress and inflammation, which are known to trigger the upregulation of VEGF. This can contribute to metabolic and vascular dysfunction in conditions like obesity.

Yes, many foods rich in anti-angiogenic compounds are simply healthy, antioxidant-rich foods like berries, green tea, and vegetables. Including them is part of a balanced diet that helps prevent chronic diseases by promoting overall vascular health and balancing cellular processes.