Heart is the most essential part of your body, keeping the blood pumping through our body. Healthy food for heart is also an important practice that we should do to keep our heart healthy and working at full potential.
Heart healthy food
Having food for heart health added in your diet can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Here are some foods for heart health.
- Oily Fish
Oily fishes like mackerel, sardines, salmon or tuna are rich in fatty acids. These fatty acids are beneficial for the health of the heart and can help increase the level of HDL cholesterol. These foods can also help remove the blood clot by thinning the blood and providing the betterment for the blood vessel elasticity. Eating fish at least twice a week can result in low cholesterol. An alternative to the oily fish is the fish oil to get those fatty acids inside your body.
Vegetable Greens
Another healthy foods for heart is any green and nutritious vegetable. Vegetables have always proven a good addition to the diet because they are rich with antioxidants, minerals and vitamins. These enrichments benefit the heart. These vegetable greens are a source of vitamin K which aids the arteries and benefits the blood pressure. Consuming more vegetable will definitely result in decrease in the risk of heart disease.
Tea
Tea or green tea is vital for our blood flow. The antioxidants present in the tea provide assist in the fat deposited in the arteries. Green tea is also essential for the cutting the fat and weight loss and the less fat, the healthier the heart. An active consumption of green tea results in reduced blood pressure, LDL and cholesterol. Tea acts as an antioxidant and helps prevent blood clots.
Berries
Any kind of berries can prove to be a healthy food for heart. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries all contain high antioxidants. They also contain fiber and are a host of vitamin C which both play a role in lowering risk of heart attack. Eating berries as your snack and adding them in your diet can lower the risks of several heart diseases.
Whole Grain
Whole grain are whole wheat, oatmeal, brown rice, barley and rye. They are rich in nutrients and have more fiber than refined grains. Certain types of pasta are also required. All of these keep your blood sugar in check. Adding whole grains to your diet has proven to result in lower systolic blood pressure and cholesterol along with lower risks of heart diseases.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is another highly recommended healthy food for heart. It consists of beta glucan which is a high-quality fiber that can reduce your LDL cholesterol levels. Adding this to your diet is necessary for health purposes. One cup of cooked oatmeal along with whole grains twice a week is enough and you can feel the difference in a short amount of time.
Walnuts
Another source of healthy nutrients are dry fruits especially walnuts. Walnuts are usually demanded in the winter season. Ladened with fiber and nutrients like copper and magnesium make it very wholesome. This should be eaten in small quantities every day. Low diastolic blood pressure can be achieved by eating walnuts. Eating them can result in low blood pressure and put less strain on heart to pump blood throughout your body.
Dark Chocolate
Chocolate is made up of cocoa. Cocoa is a plant that is used in making of chocolates and can keep your blood pressure in check. Cocoa is a host to flavanols which acts as an antioxidant. It also benefits your arteries by removing the bad fat that gets stuck to your veins.
Red Wine
Alcohol, if taken responsibly and moderately, is proven to be very good for your heart. Different alcohols have different effect on your heart. Red wine is especially very effective as it contains good cholesterol HDL. It is also a good antioxidant that can protect your heart from harmful measures. Although, too much consumption of alcohol can result in heart diseases which voids the point of consuming alcohol responsibly. A moderate consumption is two standard glasses per day.
Heart needs to be in good shape to make us healthy and thus these foods for heart health are the best consumption if you want to lead a happy and healthy life.