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So, you need to take care of your heart. It's health depends on what you eat, when you eat and how much you eat. Oily, high fat, junk food and fried food may create problems for your heart. Trans fatty acids found in most of the junk foods. Stay away from these kind of foods and quit smoking. Smoking is injurious to your health, your lungs and heart don't like your smoking habits. So try to quit it.
Eat healthy and include fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet. Locally grown and fresh vegetables contains more nutritions. They have antioxidants, vitamins, fiber and minerals. All these nutritions required by your body to build and repair muscles, tissues. Actually these nutritional elements are the basic building blocks which strengthen your immune system. A healthy immune system can protect you from various diseases.
For a healthy heart you should avoid food with high saturated fat, cholesterol like red meat, whole fat dairy products, shell fish and egg yolks. Decrease you sodium intake and eat fresh fruits or juice rather than beverages and processed foods because they contain added sugar.
Here are the 10 best foods for your healthy heart.
WHOLE GRAIN FOOD
Eating whole grain foods can help to protect you from cardiovascular diseases and type-2 diabetes.Whole grains include wheat, corn (maize), rice, barley, oats, rye, millet, and quinoa. These grains can be eaten whole, processed into products like couscous (wheat) and polenta (maize), or ground to be used to make grain foods like bread, breakfast cereals, pasta, and noodles.
Whole grains food are healthy and full of nutritions like dietary fibers and vitamins. Other benefits of choosing whole grains food is that it keeps your digestive system healthy.
Avoid refined grains food like cake, pastries and biscuits.
Fatty fish, such as salmon, sardines, trout, white tuna, anchovies, and herring, have the highest concentrations of fatty acids. Studies suggests that the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in fish reduced multiple cardio vascular diseases risk factors, including vascular resistance, blood pressure, inflammation, serum lipids, and endothelial function.
Avocado has good quantity of water and dietary fiber. Regular consumption of avocado helps to control your cholesterol level. It supports for a healthy blood pressure and hence enhances the performance of your heart.
Olive oil intake decreases plasma triglycerides, total and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, platelet activation, inflammation and oxidative damage, and increase high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and antioxidant status in your body.
Common types of legumes are kidney beans, cannellini beans, Great Northern beans, navy beans, fava beans, cranberry beans, black beans, pinto beans, soy beans, black-eyed peas, chickpeas, and lentils.
Legumes or beans are naturally low in fat, practically free of saturated fat. Legumes are plant foods therefore they are cholesterol free as well.
Avoid choosing foods from the Dairy Group that are high in saturated fats and cholesterol. Unsaturated fat is okay to eat than saturated fat.
Dairy products like cheese has high content of saturated fat which helps to increase risk of heart diseases.
SALMON AND FATTY FISH
Salmon fish contains Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 is unsaturated fats and considered to be a good fat for your body.Fatty fish, such as salmon, sardines, trout, white tuna, anchovies, and herring, have the highest concentrations of fatty acids. Studies suggests that the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in fish reduced multiple cardio vascular diseases risk factors, including vascular resistance, blood pressure, inflammation, serum lipids, and endothelial function.
There are omega-3 supplements available. Fish and fish oil supplements contain docasahexaenoic (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic (EPA) acids, which have significant benefits for the heart.
Nuts are rich source of protein. Nuts contains unsaturated fatty acids and other nutritions like antioxidants. There are different types of nuts so their nutritional values are different but overall nuts are healthy, protein rich and fatty acid food which helps to protect your heart from diseases.
Studies also suggests that drinking beets juice may help you to lower your blood pressure level.
DARK LEAFY GREEN
Green leafy vegetables are rich in potassium, fiber which helps to control blood pressure. Eat a diet rich in a variety of vegetables and fruits. Vegetables and fruits that are deeply colored (such as spinach, carrots, peaches, and berries) are especially recommended as they have the highest micro nutrient content.NUTS AND SEEDS
Studies suggests that nuts can protect you from hypertension. Nuts have high energy density and does not contribute in your weight gain.Nuts are rich source of protein. Nuts contains unsaturated fatty acids and other nutritions like antioxidants. There are different types of nuts so their nutritional values are different but overall nuts are healthy, protein rich and fatty acid food which helps to protect your heart from diseases.
"Studies suggest that consuming about 30g (a handful) of nuts per day may reduce the risk of developing heart disease by 30-50% and reduce the risk of death from heart disease by around 20%."
BEETS
Beets are low in sodium and fat. Beets contains betaine, a chemical which is important for cellular reproduction and helps your body to metabolize amino acid. Studies pointed out that the increased amino acid level is connected with the heart diseases.Studies also suggests that drinking beets juice may help you to lower your blood pressure level.
It should be noted that beets contains higher sugar level than other vegetables so diabetes patient should take care of that.
AVOCADO
Avocado contains essential nutrients and phytochemicals. There are various studies has been done on the health benefits of avocado and suggests that avocado consumption helps to improve cardiovascular health.Avocado has good quantity of water and dietary fiber. Regular consumption of avocado helps to control your cholesterol level. It supports for a healthy blood pressure and hence enhances the performance of your heart.
OLIVE OIL
It is a healthiest oil for cooking. According to different clinical studies, regular consumption of olive oil may helps to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.Olive oil intake decreases plasma triglycerides, total and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, platelet activation, inflammation and oxidative damage, and increase high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and antioxidant status in your body.
LEGUMES OR BEANS
Plant based diet always helps to boost your immune system. A high intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes (beans), nuts, and seeds are helps to lower risks of heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.Common types of legumes are kidney beans, cannellini beans, Great Northern beans, navy beans, fava beans, cranberry beans, black beans, pinto beans, soy beans, black-eyed peas, chickpeas, and lentils.
Legumes or beans are naturally low in fat, practically free of saturated fat. Legumes are plant foods therefore they are cholesterol free as well.
LOW FAT DAIRY
Intake of dairy products is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, and with lower blood pressure in adults.Avoid choosing foods from the Dairy Group that are high in saturated fats and cholesterol. Unsaturated fat is okay to eat than saturated fat.
Dairy products like cheese has high content of saturated fat which helps to increase risk of heart diseases.
Although dairy products contains high fat but studies suggests that moderate level of dairy products consumption shows no harm for your heart health.
Eat low fat dairy products to keep your heart healthy.
BALANCED DIET WITH LOW SODIUM
The salt you used in your kitchen contains sodium. Salt is not the only source for sodium you eat, it also comes from bread and rolls, pizza, cheese and ketchup etc.Sodium intake tends to increase your blood pressure and increases work of your heart if used in high quantity regularly. This leading pressure on heart creates the risk of heart stroke.
Sodium should be less than 2300 mg in your daily diet. Low sodium diet helps to maintain your heart healthy.
Your heart health depends on your diet and fitness. Eating healthy always is the key. Make your body more active and do more physical activity regularly. Regular fitness training makes your body fit and provide strength to your heart. Make your self eat good with fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grain foods, fish like salmon, low fat and sodium food. This will make heart happy.
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Resources:
1. https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/healthy-eating/food-and-nutrition/grain-foods
2. https://www.umm.edu/health/medical/reports/articles/hearthealthy-diet
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