Table of Contents
It’s common knowledge that the heart is a complicated yet refined machine that needs its fuel and to keep it functioning perfectly you only need to give it the best quality and heart appropriate fuel. This means to keep your heart in the best condition you need to follow a balanced and healthy diet. There are some foods and nutritional strategies that are good for the heart and can help in reducing or even eliminating high risk factors such as controlling total and LDL cholesterol levels, lowering blood sugars and triglyceride levels, keeping blood pressure in check and can help you keep your weight in check. Now let’s learn about heart healthy foods that can help you keep your heart healthy.
5 Great Heart Healthy Foods You Must Include In Your Diet
Taking a heart healthy diet is one of the best ways to ensure your heart’s health and keep it pumping. Just as important as cutting out certain food items from your diet is, including and focusing on heart healthy foods is one of the best nutrition strategies. Here is the list of foods you must include in your diet.
Not just a food good for heart, oatmeal makes for a delicious breakfast and is a great source of Omega 3 fatty acids and fiber. Oatmeal is also rich in nutrients like potassium, magnesium and iron. Since oatmeal is a very filling and healthy breakfast a serving will keep you feeling full for a long time. You can top it with berries or other fresh fruits and make it even more heart healthy.
Talking about the best foods for heart, it's impossible to not mention almonds. Nuts are believed to be heart healthy nuts and almonds make for the perfect choice. They are a rich source of Omega 3 acids, Vitamin E, Calcium, Magnesium and Fiber. Almonds are easy to include in your diet. You can have them with yogurt or salad or even oatmeal.
Another item that lies high on the list of heart healthy foods is Red Wine which consists of different types of flavonoids called catechins and an antioxidant called resveratrol. Flavonoids helps in maintaining the health of your blood vessels and prevents the formation of blood clots and Resveratrol protects your health.
A great source of Vitamins, Sweet Potato is one of the best foods for heart health. Sweet Potato is a great source of Vitamin A and C and is a low fat source of Vitamin E. It also consists of Potassium, Folate, Calcium and Fiber. Including Sweet Potato in your diet is a piece of cake. You can bake it and top it with vegetables or make it as a side dish by mashing them.
If you are looking for a fruit good for the heart then here it is- Oranges. A juicy and nutrient rich snack, Oranges are rich in nutrients like antioxidants like beta cryptoxanthin, carotenoids such as alpha and beta carotene and lutein. Not just that, Oranges are also filled with flavones, Vitamin C, Potassium and fiber.
How Does A Healthy Diet Prevent Heart Disease?
Following a heart healthy diet plan helps in controlling blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Reducing cholesterol levels can marginally reduce the risk of heart disease. If you are on medication for keeping your cholesterol levels in check following a healthy diet can help and can lead to good heart and blood vessel health. If you practice portion control and eat super sized meals it can take you a long way.
What Are The Benefits Of Diet For The Heart?
Eating a heart healthy diet has many benefits which includes lowering the risk of coronary artery diseases, atherosclerosis, and even heart attack and stroke. Limiting the amount of saturated and trans fat you consume and watching what you eat is a primary step in reducing your cholesterol levels and keeping your heart pumping. It can also help in reducing the risk of a heart disease and improves the functioning of the heart. What you eat influences each and every aspect of heart health ranging from blood pressure to inflammation and cholesterol levels.
If you want to keep your heart healthy and stay at bay from heart diseases then get a customised diet plan that suits your lifestyle and all your fitness needs. With FITFEAST you can get in touch with certified nutritionists who offer personalized diet plans and pay personal attention to create a customised diet plan for you. Our nutritionists offer you plans based on your fitness goals and whether you want to lose or gain weight, or just want to stay fit and healthy, or just gain muscle mass.
