Analysts say that a healthy diet can save you from more than half of the diseases and illnesses known. And the number of heart disease patients increases every day at a faster pace. If we know what healthy habits we need to maintain to reduce the chances of any heart related disease, we can protect ourselves well. We need to consume more nutrients and less fats. Following are few food items that you can easily blend in your daily diet for better heart health.
Fish
To reduce the irregular heartbeats, blood pressure and artery clogging, you need to eat fish. Try having two servings of rich – with garlic, olive oil and lemon zest – salmon fish in a week. You can even alternate with option like tuna, mackerel and sardines.
Grains
For heart-healthy antioxidants, you can eat lentils and pulses to gather more protein and less fat. While black beans are the best option amongst the many legumes.
Green Vegetables
Kale, Swiss chard, spinach, turnip greens, collards and beet greens, they all contain antioxidants, fiber and many vitamins and minerals that can help you maintain good health for your heart.
Brown Beans
Your home brewed coffee can help you by reducing the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Many debates were made against and in favor of the beneficial effects of coffee. But it has finally been declared to have useful effects on our heart.
Soluble Fiber
To improve your cholesterol levels, you need to consume soluble fiber. Oats are highly recommended grain food as they have more soluble fiber than any other grain.
Olive Oil
To control your LDL cholesterol levels, you can use the antioxidants. Extra-virgin olive oil contains monounsaturated good fats that can be enjoyed by your body, while enhancing the taste of your food.
Tofu
Since red meat is not a good option for your heart you can alternate it with a healthy option of Tofu made from soy beans. It is getting very popular for its rich fiber, vitamin and polyunsaturated fats.
Avocado
You need to consume more potassium in your daily diet to help maintain your blood pressure. Avocado can be your perfect choice for it. It also tends to have unsaturated fats and fiber which helps you maintain good health for your heart.
Nuts
To reduce the risk of stroke and developing other heart diseases, you can use a handful of nuts, particularly walnuts is the best healthy fat you can take but you can also consider almonds, hazelnuts and pistachios.
Berries
You need to consume phytonutrients that can help you fight disease. And you find them in all colorful fruits. But blueberries are really rich with such antioxidants and can be eaten to prevent heart diseases.
Yogurt
Yogurt has calcium & proteins that can also help your heart. Try unflavored yogurt mixed with probiotic food items for improved blood pressure and heart rate.
Dark Chocolate
Chocolate is rich with an antioxidant which can be very beneficial for improved circulation. It generally can be risky for diabetic patients but to treat it moderately, dark chocolate with its 70 percent cocoa can be useful in treatment. Do not use it heavily, just 1 or 2 squares at a time.
There surely are many other items that you can easily consume to improve your heart health and reduce the risks of various diseases related to heart. There may not be a specific strict chart for each of us to follow but we can simply look up good examples of food items that can be beneficial for our health. We can generally opt for vegetables, nutrient’s rich items, low fat dairy items, fruits and whole grains in your regular diet for long lasting life and its effects.