One in ten Americans has been diagnosed with heart disease. Choosing the right healthy food can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, including coronary artery diseases that may lead to heart disease and stroke.
Here, you will find 25 best foods to protect the heart and blood vessels. Understand the most important nutrients to keep your heart in the best condition, and the menu suggestions to make these foods a part of your daily diet.
Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which can reduce the risk of abnormal heartbeat (arrhythmia), reduce triglyceride level, slow down the growth of arterial plaque and lower blood pressure. The American Heart Association recommends eating two foods rich in omega-3, such as salmon, every week. One is 3.5 ounces of cooked fish.
Salmon is a multifunctional food. Barbecue with friction or gravy, cut into small pieces, and then add it to pasta with fat-free gravy, or add it to salad to make protein.
Will the feeding method of salmon affect its omega-3 content? Nowadays, many grocery stores transport farmed salmon and wild salmon. It has been proved that farm-raised salmon tend to contain more omega-3 fat, but also more total fat. Even if the saturated fat content of farmed salmon is higher, it is still about half of that of flank steak in the same position.
Ground flaxseed also contains omega-3, soluble and insoluble fiber. It is one of the highest sources of lignans, which have the qualities of phytoestrogens and antioxidants.
Flaxseed powder can be easily added to your diet and can be mixed with any food you usually eat. Sprinkle it on breakfast cereal, add low-fat yogurt and mix it into muffins or smoothies.
Flaxseed oil contains omega-3, but their efficacy is poor, called ALA(α- linolenic acid). ALA needs special enzymes to be converted into omega-3, and the supply of these enzymes in your body is limited. This means that you can at most convert 15% ω-3 in linseed oil into the most useful form. So, although you do get some benefits, it may be less than what your supplementary label implies.
Oatmeal is a delicious breakfast food and another good source of these omega-3 fatty acids. And it is a fiber giant, which can eat 4 grams per cup. It also contains nutrients such as magnesium, potassium and iron.
Oatmeal is a hearty breakfast. You can add some fresh berries, which will be more beneficial to heart health. Try using fat-free oatmeal cookies, oatmeal bread, or mixing whole oatmeal into turkey burger patties.
You know there is a proverb on campus: "beans, beans, are good for your heart." It turned out to be true! As you can guess, beans contain a lot of soluble fiber, B vitamins, niacin, folic acid, magnesium, calcium and omega-3 fatty acids.
Beans are so omnipotent. You can add them to soups, stews or salads. Or cook with them.
Try black beans on avocado whole wheat pita, or mix them with corn kernels and onions to make fermented green peppers. Add canned kidney beans to the salad of cucumber, fresh corn, onion and pepper, then sprinkle with olive oil and apple vinegar. Or mix black beans and kidney beans to make delicious and nutritious vegetarian peppers.
Nuts have been proved to lower cholesterol in the blood. Almonds are a good choice for heart-healthy nuts. They contain plant omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, magnesium, calcium, fiber, monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats beneficial to the heart.
Almonds are very easy to eat-you can add almond bars to yogurt or salad or mix snacks with healthy snacks. You can also try it in cooking. Sprinkle them on rice or quinoa plates, or sprinkle them on some salmon, and you can make good shortcakes. Choose salt-free almonds to enhance heart protection.
Just make sure that your almonds are roasted raw or dry (not fried) and pay attention to the quantity. Although they are good for heart health, they are also high in fat, some of which are saturated fat. Like other nuts, almonds are rich in calories and can go a long way with a little. It is best to eat in moderation.
Walnuts have many of the same health benefits as almonds and other nuts. They contain plant omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, magnesium, folic acid, fiber, mono-saturated fats and polyunsaturated fats beneficial to the heart and phytosterols.
Walnuts, like almonds, add a rich flavor to salads. They taste better in muffins and breakfast pancakes.
Although they are good for heart health, they are also rich in fat and calories and should be eaten in moderation. Like all nuts, please remember the weight of walnuts. A serving of walnuts should be placed neatly in the palm of your hand, which can provide about 200 calories.
Red wine contains flavonoids catechin and antioxidant resveratrol. Flavonoids can help maintain the health of blood vessels and help prevent blood clots. Resveratrol has been proved to protect the heart in the laboratory.
Drinking a glass of wine while eating, or making a wine sprayer (mixing wine with soda water) to reduce calories, can still get many benefits.
But remember, the American Heart Association doesn't advise people to start drinking just to prevent heart disease. Drinking alcohol has the risk of alcoholism, and may lead to hypertension, obesity, stroke, breast cancer, suicide and traffic accidents. Enjoy red wine in moderation.
Tuna contains omega-3 fatty acids. Although the omega-3 content of tuna is not as high as that of salmon, tuna does provide a proper amount of omega-3. A serving of tuna can also meet your daily demand for nicotinic acid, which is a nutrient that can increase the survival chances of heart attack authors.
Tuna salad (bright mayonnaise) is a light lunch snack that can make you full. Tuna can make a great salad dressing, or it can be baked into a delicious dinner.
Some tuna is in oil, and some is in water. Tuna in water contains more omega-3 fat. That's because a lot of fat in Omega 3 and all the fat discharged from the tank will be lost.
Tofu is an important source of protein. Is a vegetarian, rich in heart-healthy nutrients, including niacin, folic acid, calcium, magnesium and potassium.
Tofu is sometimes called "tofu" because it is made of extruded tofu. It is easy to prepare and can be used as part of almost any meal.
Slice tofu, marinate it for a few hours, then barbecue it, or add it to your favorite vegetarian cooking. Make tofu, lettuce and tomato sandwiches on whole wheat bread instead of meat in pasta, and add sliced or diced salad to increase protein.
Although tofu has been proved to protect the heart in many studies, it depends on how you eat it. Although healthy, tofu is not always a good companion. It is contained in many super-processed foods and is related to obesity and cardiovascular health problems. Its use in high-calorie processed foods led the FDA to cancel some requirements for heart health of tofu products in 20 17.
Brown rice is not only delicious, but also part of a healthy heart diet. Brown rice provides B vitamins, magnesium and fiber.
You can add brown rice to almost any dish without making mistakes. Microwave oven brown rice and some chopped vegetables make lunch simple and fast. Mix it with some black beans or tofu, stir-fry, add it to the soup, or try to mix it cold in avocado salad.
Soymilk contains isoflavones (flavonoids), which can bring a lot of nutrition to your diet. Nutrients include vitamin B complex, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, potassium and phytoestrogens. Compared with protein in animal milk, protein in soy milk can help lower blood cholesterol levels and may provide other cardiovascular benefits.
Use soy milk in your whole wheat breakfast cereal, or mix it with smoothies, or use soy milk instead of milk in any recipe.
Berries and other parts of the body are good for your heart. Blueberries are rich in nutrients in a healthy diet, including β -carotene and lutein (carotenoids), anthocyanins (flavonoids), ellagic acid (polyphenols), vitamin C, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, potassium and fiber.
Berries themselves can be easily eaten as healthy snacks, put on cereals or pancakes, mixed with smoothies, added with low-fat yogurt, or added with some berries in salads.
Carrots are probably the most famous source of carotene. They have many well-known nutrients β-carotene, but carrots are also a good source of α and γ carotene (carotenoids). Studies have shown that higher levels of beta-carotene are associated with lower risk of heart disease and stroke.
Young carrots are good snacks. When chopped, they will make salads more compact, and even shredded carrots can be cut into many recipes, including ketchup, muffins and pasta.
Spinach is rich in beta-carotene, vitamins C and E, potassium, folic acid, calcium and fiber, which is good for the heart.
Spinach is an important basis of salad, which can replace lettuce to make sandwiches. You can also sneak in fruit smoothies, add pizza, or mix in egg white omelets. Or add it to your pasta to get a health reward.
It depends on how long it has been sitting. Frozen spinach contains less folic acid than freshly harvested spinach, and some studies have shown that folic acid may reduce the risk of heart disease. However, there is a trap-folic acid in fresh spinach will degrade over time. Therefore, if you walk a long distance before sending fresh spinach to the table, or if you have been in the refrigerator for a week, frozen spinach may actually be more nutritious.
Broccoli is a powerful vegetable, which contains β-carotene, vitamins C and E, potassium, folic acid, calcium and fiber.
Broccoli tastes good. It can be added to soup, mixed with vegetable dipping sauce, added to salad, or mixed with brown rice dishes. Adding more broccoli to the diet is a reliable way to improve heart health.
Sweet potato is an excellent source of vitamins. You will find vitamins A and C in it. Sweet potato is a rare source of low-fat vitamin E. They also contain potassium, folic acid, calcium and fiber. You will get more fiber if you eat skin.
Sweet potato can be prepared in almost any way, and it will be delicious! Roast the whole lamb, and then roast it with vegetables. Slice, bake until crisp, and make healthy French fries. Cream soup made of food processor and mashed sweet potato.
Sweet potato is different from yam. Yam is also healthy, but sweet potato contains more nutrients and fiber.
Red bell pepper is rich in nutrients beneficial to the heart, such as β -carotene and lutein (carotenoids), B vitamins, folic acid, potassium and fiber.
Pepper is delicious in salads and burritos, or sliced raw as a snack. Grill or bake them to get rich side dishes, or add them to sauces or main dishes to add flavor.
When it comes to heart-protecting nutrients in sweet peppers, color is very important. For example, red pepper contains a lot of beta-carotene. Although Ling Huang is still healthy in many other ways, they are almost completely free of beta-carotene.
Asparagus is a healthy vegetable, which contains β -carotene and lutein (both carotenoids), B vitamins, folic acid and fiber.
Asparagus is a heart-healthy side dish. Barbecue or cook lightly, then sprinkle some balsamic vinegar. Add to salads, stews or casseroles to improve health.
Oranges are a perfect snack. They are juicy and nutritious, such as antioxidants β-cryptoxanthin, carotenoids (such as β-and α-carotene and lutein) and flavonoids (flavonoids), vitamin C, potassium, folic acid and fiber.
The whole fruit is the best and can be eaten alone. You can also add orange slices to salads, yogurt and even chicken. Orange juice can provide some of the same benefits, but it is best to eat a whole pound of whole fruit.
Tomato is a multifunctional heart-healthy food, which contains β -carotene and α-carotene, lycopene, lutein (carotenoid), vitamin C, potassium, folic acid and fiber. Although there is no conclusion, the possible protective effect of lycopene on cardiovascular diseases has been studied.
Raw tomatoes can be added to sandwiches or salads. When cooked, they can be made into excellent seasonings, which is a perfect complement to macaroni.
Acorn pumpkin is another heart-healthy food, which contains β -carotene and lutein (carotenoids), B complex and C vitamins, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, potassium and fiber.
Roasted acorn pumpkin is a great winter food. To do this, just cut the pumpkin in half, scrape off the seeds, and then add brown rice and vegetables before baking.
Hami melon is the favorite food in summer. It also contains nutrients beneficial to the heart, such as α -carotene and β-carotene, lutein (carotenoid), B-complex and C-vitamins, folic acid, potassium and fiber.
You can enjoy cantaloupe at any time of the day-just cut it and eat it! You can also try mixing it with smoothies or other fruits to make a fresh fruit salad.
Papaya contains carotenoids β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin and lutein. It will add vitamins A and C, as well as folic acid, calcium and potassium to your diet.
Papaya goes well with heart-healthy salmon. Try freezing it in smoothies, fruit salads, popsicles, adding salads and even baking it.
Good news! Chocolate contains heart-healthy resveratrol and cocoa (flavonoids), which can lower blood pressure.
Insist on eating dark chocolate with cocoa content of 70% or higher to get benefits, and remember that moderation is the key, because chocolate contains a lot of calories, fat and sugar. Just one copy.
Like red wine, tea contains catechins and flavonols, which can help maintain blood vessel health and prevent thrombosis. Green tea, in particular, is highly regarded for its antioxidant properties.
A long-term study of more than 6,000 adults shows that drinking tea can reduce your risk of heart disease. It is found that adults who drink 1-3 cups of tea every day have higher coronary artery calcification scores. Coronary calcium may be a precursor of heart disease, stroke and other heart diseases.