Diet for a Healthy Heart
By: Robert NamTotal Views: 246, Word Count: 816,
Diet for a healthy heart can be accomplished by some adjustment in your current diet. Heart diseases are one of the major causes of death in the world.
What is the diet for a healthy heart?
The main aim of a healthy heart diet is to reduce the risk of heart diseases. The major factors causing heart diseases are high blood pressure, high cholesterol level, and obesity.
The other factors responsible for heart diseases are smoking and lack of exercise. Risk of heart disease can be controlled by performing a regular exercise. A healthy heart diet should limit a fat and cholesterol level in the diet.
Tips for a Healthy Heart Diet
Reduce the quantity of fat from diet
More amount of fats in food causes heart diseases. Monosaturated fats (olive oil, flaxseed oil, peanut oil and avocados) and Polyunsaturated fats (safflower, sesame, sunflower seeds) raises the level of good cholesterol level in your body.
Saturated fats and Trans fatty acids will increase your bad cholesterol levels. It tends to increase more chances of heart diseases. Saturated fats are mainly found in beef, veal, lamb, pork, lard, butter, cream, whole milk dairy products and in some canned foods. Trans fatty acids are found in cooking oils, margarine, fried foods, and baked goods.
Reduce the quantity of sodium from diet
Reducing the amount of sodium from diet helps some people to lower the blood pressure level. It will also help to reduce the risk of heart disease. Avoid adding sodium to your food at your table.
Eat food with fewer calories
When one eat more calories of food, one gains weight. Being overweight involves a risk of heart diseases.
Eat diet with more fiber
Eating fiber will lower your chances of getting heart problems. Fiber food includes fruits, vegetables, and grains. A diet rich in vegetables and fruits will reduce the risk of heart diseases. It also helps in maintaining a healthy weight without any risk factor of over weight.
The vegetables that should be included in diet are broccoli, lettuces, kale, carrots, sweet potatoes, red vegetables, tomatoes, and red peppers. Eat more amounts of fruits each day in daily diet. You can have apple, oranges, water melon, bananas and grapes. Avoid fruit juices, as they can be high in sugar level.
Avoid alcohol
Avoid drinking alcohol daily. If you cannot stop, at least try to limit it. Alcohol increases your risk of heart problem at a very high level.
Avoid sugar from diet
Avoid eating the food with sugar. A high level of sugar in diet raises the blood pressure level. It raises the risk of diabetes and obesity. So, avoid food like regular soft drinks, cookies, candy, sweets, toffees, and cakes.
Food to be included in your diet of healthy heart:
- Oily ocean fish
Fish is an excellent source of having fatty acids in diet. It helps in protecting your heart by reducing inflammation and risk of blood clots. It also helps in maintaining a healthy cholesterol level. Oily ocean fish includes tuna, sardines, mackerel, trout, pilchards, kippers, and herring.
- Olive oil
Olive oil reduces the risk of heart disease by controlling LDL cholesterol level. Always choose olive oil for cooking to keep your heart healthy.
- Oats
Oats has a soluble fiber called as beta glucan. It helps in reducing cholesterol level and LDL cholesterol. Soluble fiber keeps your digestive system healthy.
- Apples
An apple contains phytochemical known as guercetin. It acts as an anti flammtory and prevents blood clots. An apple contains vitamins and fiber.
- Almonds
An almond contains healthy oils, vitamin E and other substances which helps in maintaining the cholesterol level.
- Whole grains
Whole grains like grain cereals, rice, breads, and pasta should be included in a healthy diet. A whole grain is an excellent source of having fiber in the diet. Proper fiber rich food can minimize the risk of heart problems.
- Green leafy vegetables
A green leafy vegetable contains folate and is a rich source of vitamin E. It helps to keep the homocysteine level down. Include fresh spinach leaves or other green in your diet.
- Tomatoes
A tomato contains vitamins and lycopene. This helps to reduce the heart disease risk.
- Soy
Soy helps in preventing the heart attacks. It is one of the excellent substitutes for red meat and reduces saturated fat intake.
This above information will surely help you in knowing the diet for a healthy heart.
By following the above diet, you will have a better health, longer life, more energy, no over weight and the most important a healthy heart.
About the Author
Dr. Robert Nam is a well known heart specialist and has done postgraduate training in cardiology at the national heart hospital, the London chest hospital and UCL hospital, London. He was also engaged in research at the national heart and lung institute. Nowadays he is working as a consultant cardiologist at UCL hospital, London.
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