Top 10 Heart-Healthy Foods You Should Include In Your Diet
Food for your heart? Our heart is one of the busiest functioning organs of our body. It pumps blood and assists in circulation without stopping. This is why taking care of your heart becomes very important. It is essential to change your diet to promote a healthy heart.
So the question is, what food is good for the heart? Below is the list of the top 10 healthy foods for the heart so you can plan your meals and make choices for conscious, healthy living.
Top 10 Best Foods For Heart Health
Green Leafy Vegetables
One of the best foods for heart health is green leafy vegetables. They are rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Regarding vitamins, green leafy vegetables are abundant in vitamin K, which is vital for preventing artery blockage and promoting proper blood clotting.
Research also shows that a high intake of leafy vegetables in your diet is hugely beneficial for cardiovascular health and lowers the risk of heart disease. Some good green leafy foods for heart health are spinach, broccoli, kale, and collard greens, which you should include in your healthy meal plans.
Whole Grains
One nutritious choice to add to your diet is whole grains. These are healthy foods for the healthy heart because they provide a wealth of fibre, minerals, carbohydrates, and other nutrients. A balanced incorporation of whole grains into your meals can help lower the risk of diabetes and heart disease as they help balance cholesterol levels and blood pressure.
Common healthy whole grains for the heart include whole wheat, brown rice, oats, rye, barley, buckwheat, and quinoa. A fun fact about whole grains is that they are more than just a food for the heart; they are also one of the widely recommended superfoods for weight management diets.
Fruits
Fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and avocados contain various nutrients that are good for a healthy heart. Berries are rich in antioxidants that help prevent oxidative stress and inflammation and improve cell functions that line the blood vessels.
On the other hand, avocados are one of the best foods for heart health. They contain potassium and monounsaturated fats, which are widely known to lower cholesterol levels, which in turn helps reduce the risk of heart disease.
Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate is one of the most popular and delicious foods for a healthy heart. It is rich in antioxidants, such as flavonoids, which boost heart health and decrease the risk of coronary heart disease, strokes, and diabetes.
However, one needs to be aware that chocolates are high in sugar. Research recommends consuming dark chocolate with 70% cocoa content as a healthy food for the heart but in moderation.
Nuts
Almonds and walnuts are good foods for heart health. They are rich in minerals and nutrient-boosting with healthy monounsaturated fats, which are essential for maintaining good heart health.
Walnuts, especially, are good sources of micronutrients such as magnesium, copper, and manganese. Including almonds and walnuts in your diet may decrease bad LDL (low density lipoproteins) and cholesterol.
Seeds
One of the sources of healthy food for the heart are seeds such as chia, hemp, and flax seeds. They are high in omega-3 fatty acids and nutrients such as fibre. You should include them in your meals to improve and decrease the factors associated with heart disease, such as inflammation, blood pressure, and triglycerides.
Other Vegetables
While leafy vegetables are some of the best healthy foods for the heart, other vegetables such as tomatoes, beans, asparagus, garlic, carrots, and more are also suitable for heart health. These vegetables are high in antioxidants and rich in nutrients that are good for your heart. Garlics are also known to be a food for hearts with therapeutic effects. They inhibit the buildup of platelets, which helps prevent strokes and blood clots.
Olive Oil
Cooking meals in olive oil helps treat hypertension, prevents the risk of chronic diseases, and relieves inflammation. Olive oil is one of the healthy foods for the heart. This is because of the presence of antioxidants, oleic acid, and monounsaturated fats. Some research also shows that the higher incorporation of olive oils helps prevent the risk of heart attack.
Edamame
Edamame is an immature soybean and, therefore, rich in soy isoflavones. Studies have shown that it is one of the healthy foods for the heart, helping lower cholesterol levels and decrease the risk of heart-related diseases.
Edamame, paired with changes in lifestyle and diet, can majorly improve your heart health. Add edamame to your meals as salads and appetisers, or consume raw food from the pods.
Beverages
Green tea and coffee are some of the widely known beverages on the list of healthy foods for the heart. Green tea has high levels of antioxidants called catechins that help improve blood pressure and relieve oxidative stress. Additionally, green tea is considered one of the best healthy foods for metabolism due to its metabolism-enhancing properties.
On the other hand, coffee is notorious due to its caffeine content. However, some studies show that having the recommended amount of coffee per day might help improve your heart health and reduce the risk of various other diseases such as Parkinson's, liver cancer and more.
FAQs - Good Food For Heart Health
How do I make my heart stronger?
To strengthen your heart, eat healthy foods for the heart, such as green leafy vegetables and fruits, engage in regular exercises such as walking or aerobics, manage stress, and have regular checkups to monitor your cholesterol levels and heart health.
What food is good for heart health and prevents heart attacks?
Eating a heart-healthy diet might help prevent heart attacks or heart-related diseases. Some healthy foods for the healthy heart include whole grains, dark chocolate, walnuts, almonds and more.
What animal-based food is good for the heart?
If you're on the path to starting a heart-healthy diet, you should generally limit your animal protein intake. Some animal-based healthy foods for the heart are fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, sardines, etc and skinless cuts of poultry.em as a gravy or simply saute them to enhance their flavour.
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