12 Foods That Take Great Care Of Your Heart Health

In comparison to our ancestors, we are living a comfortable life and we hardly get involved in strenuous physical activities. We have now stepped into an age where we have adopted a sedentary lifestyle and one of the main demerits of living such a lifestyle is the lack of attention towards health. Most of us are unaware about the four pillars of good health – adequate sleep, healthy nutritious diet, regular exercise and positive mental attitude.

Our life is getting so busy by the passing of each day that we are unable to find time to exercise and our ambitions are robbing us of our sleep. Also with so much competition and complexities in life, we are mostly stressed and exhausted. When it comes to food, we are resorting to easily available junk foods and packaged foods that are filled with harmful artificial colours, flavours and sweeteners. We are rather following an unhealthy lifestyle, owing to which more and more people are falling prey to heart diseases. India has become a nation with one of highest number of heart patients and the figures are increasing at an alarming rate.

Even children are suffering from cardiovascular diseases and all this is due to the deficiency of nutrients and high dependence on oily, spicy and unhygienic foodstuffs. Start living a healthy lifestyle today by incorporating these 12 foods that take great care of your heart health in your diet apart from exercising and sleeping sufficiently:

1. Oatmeal

Oatmeal is a wonder meal that can be an all rounder for your heart’s health. Many studies have proven that the high amount of dietary fibre in oats help in controlling blood pressure problems and decreases the amount of LDL cholesterol from the body. They have low glycemic index due to which the sugar gets slowly mixed in the blood, thus avoiding increase in blood sugar level.

2. Dark Chocolate

Lately, more and more people have become aware of health benefits of consuming dark chocolate. Dark chocolate has more of polyphenols that help in preventing inflammation and clotting of blood in the arteries. But consume dark chocolates that are low in sugar and don’t have more than 5gms in a day or they will have adverse affects on your well being.

3. Salmon

Some fats are good for the body and one among them is omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids are largely found in salmon fishes and they contain lipids that minimises the risk of plaque build-up on the wall of the arteries. Thereby, they help in avoiding blockages and irregular heart beats. In case you are a vegetarian, you can consult your doctor who will prescribe you some softgels containing salmon fish oil.

4. Tomatoes

Tomatoes are rich in vitamins and antioxidants and provides essential hydration to the body. The antioxidant named lycopene present in tomatoes helps in keeping your blood vessels healthy and protects your heart by managing the circulation of blood. Moreover, they act as detoxifying agent in your body.

5. Green Tea

Your addiction for beverages such as tea and coffee can take a toll on your heart’s health. Start substituting your regular high calorie and high caffeine beverages with green tea that is packed with antioxidants. These antioxidants helps in keeping your arteries open while preventing accumulation of plaque. Moreover, they are low in calories and refreshing too.

6. Carrots

Carrots are not only good for your vision but also helps in improving your body’s ability to cure internal inflammations. Carrots comprise of cartenoids that regulates flow of blood into and from the heart and clears the passage in the arteries for seamless flow of blood.

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7. Nuts

It is advisable to have a handful of nuts each day as your mid-day snack in a bid to keep your cholesterol levels managed. Nuts like walnuts, almonds, peanuts, raisins, pistachios, cashewnuts, etc. supply hight amounts of vitamin E that helps in lowering the levels of bad cholesterols or LDL from the arteries.

8. Potatoes

If you consider potatoes are unhealthy, then you are partially correct. Potatoes when fried lose their nutrition value and provides you with nothing except unwanted calories. Start consuming boiled potatoes along with their peels as they are rich in fibre and essential carbohydrates. They are rich in potassium that helps in lowering the blood pressure while it has other nutrients such as vitamins, proteins, magnesium, phosphorus, etc that helps in effective functioning of heart.

9. Berries

All kinds of berries are your heart’s best friends. They consist of rare kind of antioxidants that are powerful in lowering the blood pressure while maintaining optimum health of your arteries. Make a habit of having a bowl of berries at least thrice a week if you are already dealing with any heart disease.

10. Oranges

Lime, lemons, oranges, etc are citrus fruits that contain high amounts of vitamin C that are essential in repairing and preventing inflammation within the body. They are effective in preventing blood clots and improves the immunity level too.

11. Spinach

Medical experts have revealed that people who suffer from cardiovascular disorders or want to protect their heart from diseases, then having leafy vegetables once a day is a must. Leafy vegetables such as spinach is a very hydrating vegetable and contains good proportions of vitamins, minerals and fibre. They help in cleansing the toxins from the body and ensures undeterred flow of blood to all parts of the body as spinach consists of iron that improves the haemoglobin content in the blood.

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12. Beetroots

Beetroots are not only delicious but also are heart friendly. They ensure proper circulation and production of blood in the body. They contain nitrate that mixes in blood which results in an oxidation process that forms nitric oxide, which augments the content of oxygen in the blood. Beetroots are rich in fibre and antioxidants due to which it help in balancing cholesterol levels in the body.