Get a Healthy Heart With These Foods

A healthy heart is a result of eating healthy foods. Green leafy vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and the like have a great impact on your cardiovascular health. Starting to change your everyday diet will reward your heart with great improvements. Here are some of the healthy foods that you can eat.

1. Broccoli This green vegetable is low in cholesterol, high in fiber, and contains a wealth of antioxidants. It's good for protecting your joints, too.

2. Brussels sprouts Whether you hate or love this vitamin-rich veggie that looks like mini cabbage heads, there's no disputing it is good for your heart. Among its heart-healthy benefits are reducing inflammation in the cardiovascular system and improving blood vessel health.

3. Cauliflower It's not green, but it is bursting with antioxidants, is high in fiber, and contains allicin, a component of garlic shown to help lower the risk of heart attacks and reduce cholesterol.

4. Yams A great source of Vitamin C, calcium, and iron, which help reduce high blood pressure. Eat the skin, too, which is full of heart-healthy nutrients.

5. Whole grains Whole grains free of glutens, including oat bran and rice, which regulate cholesterol. Avoid processed, refined grains, which are steeped in glutens that have been associated with heart ailments including clogged arteries.

6. Apples Do not peel this ubiquitous fruit—that's where all the antioxidants are, notably polyphenols, which shield cholesterol from free-radical assaults. Apples (of any color) also contain pectin, which blocks absorption of cholesterol, and fiber, which sweeps out cholesterol. The result of eating an apple a day, according to a recent study? A 40% decrease in LDL cholesterol.

7. Oranges Another source of pectin, this citrus fruit is also packed with a flavonoid that lowers blood pressure and reduces artery inflammation. Citrus also contains hesperidin, a plant chemical that improves blood flow to the heart, and vitamin C, a potent protector against stroke.

8. Grapefruit Like oranges, grapefruit contains a lot of vitamin C which, according to research, can help protect against stroke and helps reduce cholesterol.

9. Avocado This fruit is loaded with monounsaturated fats, also known as “good fats” that can help minimize blood cholesterol and blood clots. But they are also high in calories (240 per average-sized avocado), so go easy.

10. Avocado oil Pressed from the fruit, avocado oil has been touted as a more heart-healthy cooking oil because of its ability to modify fatty acids in tissues around the heart. Oil could decrease hardening of the arteries, which often leads to heart disease.

11. Olive oil Make sure it's extra virgin. The purer olive oil contains higher levels of “good fat” and antioxidants to help unclog your arteries and is considerably more healthy for your heart than vegetable oil and its cholesterol-inducing “bad” fats.

12. Red wine Back to the importance of resveratrol, a compound with antioxidant properties, which can also help prevent cancer. Resveratrol is found in dark-skinned berries and grapes. Madirans and Cabernets typically contain large amounts of procyanidins, an antioxidant that helps reduce cholesterol and increases arterial health.

13. Green tea Lower hypertension by pouring yourself a cup of this beverage long favored by Chinese herbalists for its medicinal benefits. In its soothing warmth are catechin and flavonoids, antioxidants with multiple cardio benefits including reducing blood clots.

14. Soy milk It's high in the organic compound isoflavones, which has been shown to help reduce cholesterol. Unlike animal milk, this beverage contains no cholesterol and is naturally low in fat. It also contains niacin, which helps boost circulation.

15. Dark Chocolate Pick one that contains at least 70% cocoa, which has been linked to lower blood pressure, because its flavonols relax arteries, and increased blood flow. Make sure it doesn't contain saturated fats from additives such as palm oil.

16. Raisins Grab a handful and help reduce high blood pressure. That's because raisins are packed with potassium, which helps lower hypertension and increases immune-boosting antioxidants.

Family medicine clinic in Abu Dhabi

Adam and Eve Specialized Medical Centre’s family medicine doctor has extensive experience in treating and advising patients to maintain a strong cardiovascular health. If you are noticing heart problems or you want to keep a healthy heart, consult our family medicine doctor today.