Cardiovascular diseases have become a growing health concern nowadays because of different reasons like sedentary lifestyle,unhealthy eating habits, personal and work related-stress, and lacking exercises. Heart problems get attached with higher blood pressure and cholesterol levels too. Only pumping done by heart isn't enough to maintain healthy heart rates. One has to eat right foods to do it! Here's the list of foods, which are good for heart:
Apples
One apple a day can surely keep your doctor away as they have guercetin, a photo-chemical having ant-inflammatory properties. So, it helps in preventing blood clots. You should eat apples in breakfast with the cereals or eat them like a snack while you're hungry rather than consuming deep-fried chips.
Almonds
If eaten in moderate quantity, Almonds lowers cholesterol levels in your body. They also have vitamin E, B17, and minerals including iron, zinc,magnesium, and they are a very good resource of monounsaturated fats.
Green Vegetables
Green and leafy vegetable including fenugreek, spinach, radish leaves, lettuce, Bok choy, etc. are healthy and known for reducing the risks of cancer and heart diseases because they are very low in calories,fat, and having high dietary fibre. Also, they contain magnesium, calcium, folic acid, potassium, etc. All these minerals are advantageous for optimum heart functioning. Studies show that one serving of green vegetables daily can lower down the risk of heart diseases by 11%!
Oats
Oats are among the healthiest options accessible for breakfast. They will make you feel energetic and they are wonderful for heart too. Oats has beta glucan that is a soluble fiber, which helps in bringing down the cholesterol levels particularly LDL (bad cholesterol) in your body. Use oatmeal for breakfast or eat oatmeal cookies or bread to absorb benefits.
Groundnut Oil
Groundnut oil or peanut oil is the healthiest oils accessible, whose use is good for your heart. This miracle oil contains arginine, flavonoids, folates and other beneficial compounds essential for cardiovascular health.The oil possess a higher amount of vitamin E , unsaturated good fats (MUFA and PUFA) which regulates the cholesterol level.The phytosterols of groundnut oil blocks the absorption of cholesterol in the digestive system and reduce the risk of heart disease.It works well for sautéing vegetables , in stir and deep fries.
Soy is nutrient dense source of protein. It is also accessible in the form of soya mince and soya chunks easily in the market these days. Soy is an outstanding healthy option than red meat. They are rich in isoflavones that are well known for reducing risk of reducing heart disease in younger and postmenopausal women.
Pomegranate juice
Pomegranate juice is considered heart healthy beverage as it is rich in polyphenols and
has high antioxidant capacity that prevents cell damage.It is also been shown to exert
antiatherogenic ( controls formation of plaques in arteries), antihypertensive( regulates blood pressure) and anti-inflammatory ( reduces inflammation) effects.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes is a very good resource of vitamins and works like a blood purifier. Consistent consumption of tomatoes reduces the danger of heart diseases. Tomatoes has vitamin K that helps in preventing incidences of hemorrhages. Consume tomatoes in raw salad form or sandwiches, and cooked form with gravies or just use good ketchup.
Whole Grains
All the whole grains like wheat, millet, pulses, barley, and beans are very good for heart as they offer natural vitamins and fiber. They contain iron, magnesium,vitamin E, and anti-oxidants. Steady consumption of whole grains decreases blood pressure also.
Conclusion
All these foods are good for your heart and helps in making your heart stronger. Keeping all or at least some of them in your diet can help you maintain a healthy heart!