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 your heart and blood vessels. Learn about 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 omega-3-rich foods, such as salmon, every week. One is 3.5 ounces of cooked fish.
Salmon is a multifunctional food. Grill it with friction or marinade, cut it into small pieces, and then add it to pasta with fat-free marinade sauce, or add it to salad to make protein.
Will the feeding methods of salmon affect its omega-3 content? Nowadays, many grocery stores transport farm-raised salmon and wild salmon. It has been proved that farm-raised salmon often contains more omega-3 fat, but the total fat is also more. Even if the saturated fat content of farmed salmon is higher, it is still about half that of the same part of flank steak.
ground flaxseed also has omega-3, and soluble and insoluble fiber. It has one of the highest available sources of lignans, which have the qualities of phytoestrogens and antioxidants.
flaxseed powder is easy to add 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, which is 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 expect to convert up to 15% omega-3 in linseed oil into the most useful form. Therefore, although you do get some benefits, it may be less than what your supplementary label suggests.
Oatmeal porridge is a delicious breakfast food and another good source of these omega-3 fatty acids. Moreover, it is a fiber superstar, which can eat 4 grams per cup. It also contains nutrients such as magnesium, potassium and iron.
Oatmeal porridge is a hearty breakfast. You can add some fresh berries to it, which will be more beneficial to your heart health. Try using fat-free oatmeal cookies, oatmeal bread, or mixing whole oatmeal into turkey burger patties.
You know there is a saying on campus: "Beans, beans, are good for your heart." It turned out to be true! Beans have a lot of soluble fiber, B- multivitamins, niacin, folic acid, magnesium, calcium, and omega-3 fatty acids as you guessed.
beans are so versatile. You can include them in 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 together to make delicious and nutritious vegetarian peppers.
Nuts have been proved to lower cholesterol in the blood. For heart-healthy nuts, almonds are a good choice. They contain plant omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, magnesium, calcium, fiber and monounsaturated 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 to make a good shortbread. Choose salt-free almonds to enhance heart protection.
just make sure that your almonds are roasted raw or dry (not in oil) and pay attention to the amount. 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 a little can go a long way. It is best to eat in moderation.
Walnuts have many of the same health protection functions as almonds and other nuts. They contain plant omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, magnesium, folic acid, fiber, mono-saturated and polyunsaturated fats beneficial to the heart and phytosterols.
Walnuts, like almonds, give salads a rich taste. They taste better in muffins and breakfast pancakes.
Although they are good for heart health, they are also high in fat and calories, so they should be eaten in moderation. As with all nuts, please remember the weight of walnuts. A serving of walnuts should be neatly placed in your palm, which can provide about 2 calories.
Red wine contains flavonoids called catechins and antioxidant resveratrol. Flavonoids can help maintain the health of blood vessels and help prevent blood clots. Resveratrol has been proved to have the effect of protecting the heart in the laboratory.
drink a glass of wine at dinner, or make a wine sprayer (mixing wine with soda water) to reduce calories, and still get many benefits.
But remember, the American Heart Association doesn't recommend people to start drinking just to prevent heart disease. Drinking alcohol has the risk of alcoholism, and may lead to high blood pressure, obesity, stroke, breast cancer, suicide and traffic accidents. Enjoy red wine in moderation.
tuna contains omega-3 fatty acids. Although the content of tuna in omega-3 is not as high as that of salmon, tuna does provide a moderate amount. 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 on mayonnaise) is a light lunch snack, which can make you full. Tuna can make a great salad dressing, or it can be baked into a delicious dinner.
some tuna are in oil, and some are 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 and it is rich in heart-healthy nutrients, including niacin, folic acid, calcium, magnesium and potassium.
Tofu is sometimes called "tofu" because it is made of squeezed tofu. It is easy to prepare and can be used as part of almost any meal.
Slice the tofu, marinate it for a few hours, then barbecue it or add it to your favorite vegetarian stir-fry dish. 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 shown 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, which are 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 217.
Brown rice is not only delicious, but also a part of a heart-healthy 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 easy and quick. Mix it with some black beans or tofu, stir-fry, add it to soup, or try mixing it cold in avocado salad.
Soybean milk contains isoflavones (flavonoids), which can bring a lot of nutrition to your diet. Nutrients include B-complex vitamins, 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-grain breakfast cereal or mix it with smoothies, or use soy milk instead of milk in any recipe.
Berries and other parts of your 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, or eaten on cereals or pancakes, or 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 risks of heart disease and stroke.
Young carrots are good snacks. When chopped, they will make salads even tighter, and even shredded carrots can be cut into many recipes, including ketchup, muffins and pasta.
Spinach is rich in β-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 be used for sandwiches instead of lettuce. You can also sneak in fruit smoothies, add them to pizza, or mix them into egg white omelets. Or add it to your pasta for health rewards.
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-the folic acid of fresh spinach will degrade over time. Therefore, if you have walked a long distance before delivering fresh spinach to the table, or if you have left it in the refrigerator for a week, frozen spinach may actually be more nutritious.
Broccoli is a powerful vegetable containing β-carotene, vitamins C and E, potassium, folic acid, calcium and fiber.
Broccoli tastes very 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 sure way to improve heart health.
sweet potato is an excellent source of vitamins. You will find vitamins A and C in it, and sweet potato is a rare source of low-fat vitamin E. They also contain potassium, folic acid, calcium and fiber, and you will get more fiber when you eat skin.
you can prepare sweet potato in almost any way, and it will be delicious! Roasted whole, then roasted with vegetables. Cut it into thin slices and bake it until it is crisp to make healthy French fries. Cream soup made from food processor and sweet potato paste.
sweet potatoes are different from yam. Yam is also healthy, but sweet potato contains more nutrients and fiber.
red persimmon pepper is rich in nutrients beneficial to the heart, such as β -carotene and lutein (carotenoids), B vitamins, folic acid, potassium and fiber.
Chili peppers are delicious in salads and burritos, or sliced and eaten raw as snacks. 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 has a lot of beta-carotene. Although yellow bells are still healthy in many other ways, they have almost no beta-carotene at all.
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. Grill or cook gently, then sprinkle some balsamic vinegar. Add to salads, stews or casseroles to increase health.
oranges are a perfect snack. They are juicy and rich in nutrients, such as antioxidant 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 dishes. Orange juice can also provide some of the same benefits, but it is best to eat the whole fruit by a whole pound.
Tomato is a kind of multifunctional heart-healthy food, which contains β -carotene and α-carotene, lycopene, lutein (carotenoid), vitamin C, potassium, folic acid and fiber. Although it is inconclusive, the possible protective effect of lycopene on cardiovascular diseases has been studied.
unprocessed 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 vitamin C, 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, and it also contains nutrients beneficial to the heart, such as α -carotene and β -carotene and lutein (carotenoids), 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 to mix it with smoothies or other fruits to make fresh fruit salads.
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 it to salsa, or even baking it.
good news! Chocolate contains heart-healthy resveratrol and cocoa (flavonoids), which can lower blood pressure.
stick to eating dark chocolate with cocoa content of 7% 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 touted for its antioxidant properties.
a long-term study of more than 6, adults shows that drinking tea can reduce your risk of heart disease. study found