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4 Best Foods for Heart Health
4 Best Foods for Heart Health
Improving your health doesn't have to be complicated. Simply eating good food can already do wonders for you. In fact, sciencedaily.com reported that consuming a well-balanced diet can lower your risk of cardiovascular diseases and reduce heart injury in just six weeks.
By choosing and preparing your food properly, you can eat a meal that’s appealing to your taste buds and beneficial for your heart. Here are some of the best foods for your heart health, and some tips on how you can prepare them!
Fatty Fish
Don’t worry — this is the kind of fat that is good for you. Salmon, tuna, sardines, mackerel, and trout are called fatty fish because they contain omega-3 fatty acids. Here at expressmed.com, we pointed out that unlike saturated and trans fats, omega-3 fatty acids can help reduce your cholesterol levels and lower your blood pressure. You can enjoy these fatty fish in a healthy manner by grilling, roasting, or baking them. For example, baked salmon is not only nutritious, it’s also pretty easy to make! Just stir together olive oil, garlic, herbs, and lemon juice before rubbing it over a seasoned salmon fillet. Preheat your oven at 400 degrees and bake the salmon fillet for 15 to 20 minutes.
Whole Grains
Whole grains, like oats, brown rice, corn, and quinoa, are healthy sources of complex carbohydrates, iron, magnesium, B vitamins, and dietary fiber. Due to their high fiber content, whole grains help lower your cardiovascular risk and improve your cholesterol levels. The best part is it’s simple to incorporate whole grains into your diet because they’re versatile and easy to prepare. In fact, weknowrice.com shows that rice cookers can prepare different types of grains perfectly. This can come in handy if you want to meal prep using whole grains, like quinoa or brown rice, as the foundation for your meals. You can easily cook oatmeal for breakfast or whip up easy rice meals for lunch!
Nuts and seeds
Nuts and seeds are amazing snacks that can contribute so many benefits to your heart health. For instance, almonds can reduce your blood sugar and cholesterol levels while walnuts are antioxidant-rich food that can lower your blood pressure. They are already great to consume on their own, but if you want to make your own spreads at home, bustle.com reviews food processors that can help you get that done. Nut and seed butters are incredibly easy to make, as well as cheaper and a lot healthier than the store-bought kind. To start, you must toast your preferred nut or seed, like almond or sunflower, in an oven for ten minutes. Then, transfer it into a food processor and add a bit of salt, honey, and cinnamon before blending them all together.
Leafy greens
Leafy greens, particularly spinach and lettuce, are rich in lutein, which decreases inflammation and lowers the risk of heart attacks. This group of vegetables also contain a lot of magnesium, which can promote a healthy heart rhythm. Spinach also has fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, which makes it one of the best food for optimal heart health. To preserve all the great nutrients in spinach, for example, health.harvard.edu suggests that you should steam, grill, stir-fry, or eat it raw. Kale, collard greens, and cabbage can also be prepared a hundred different ways — think salads, dips, and side dishes!
Enjoying a good meal doesn't mean you have to sacrifice nutritional value. Plus, by incorporating more fatty fish, whole grains, nuts and seeds, and leafy greens you can boost your heart health.
Article written by Rose Jeanne
For the special use of expressmed.com