According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in every four deaths in the United States is owing to heart ailments. A primary culprit for this sorry state is our food habits. A sedentary lifestyle and lack of physical activity further add to the situation’s complexity. Awareness of foods that reduce dreadful cholesterol levels can prove handy in bringing the rising number of diagnosed cases of heart ailments under control.
Top 10 Foods that Could Save Your Heart
| Food | Benefits for the Heart |
|---|---|
| Mediterranean Diet | Rich in olive oil, fruits, and vegetables. Reduces heart disease risk. |
| Dark Chocolates | Contain flavonoids which improve blood flow and reduce inflammation. |
| Whole Grains | Lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. |
| Soya Beans | Rich in isoflavones which helps lower cholesterol. |
| Fish Oil | Rich in Omega-3 fatty acids which reduce heart disease risk factors. |
| Nuts | Contain healthy fats, fibers, and antioxidants that are heart-healthy. |
| Honey | Has antioxidants that protects against heart diseases. |
| Spinach | Packed with heart-healthy nutrients like folate, potassium, and fiber. |
| Oatmeal | Rich in soluble fiber, which helps lower cholesterol levels. |
| Blueberries | High in antioxidants and reduce risk factors for heart disease. |
1. Mediterranean Diet
- It is primarily the food pattern followed by the people of Crete island of Greece.
- It involves high consumption of olive oil, legumes, fresh fruits, unrefined legumes, and vegetables.
- Cheese, yogurt, and fish, along with wine, are consumed in moderate amounts.
- Meat and its products are taken in low quantities as part of this diet.
- Oleic acid in olive oil reduces the risk of heart ailments by lowering harmful LDL cholesterol levels.
- The diet has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antihypertensive effects, too.[2]
2. Whole Grains
- They are one of the best sources of fiber, which regulates the blood pressure in the body and reduces the risk of heart disease.
- Flaxseeds can be added to the breakfast as they are high in omega-3 fatty acids.
- The seeds can be ground as a powder. A teaspoon of this powder can be mixed with yogurt to form a paste.
- One such serving daily can reduce the overall cholesterol levels in the body.
3. Soya beans
- The Food and Drug Administration of the United States has officially announced soya bean as a cholesterol-lowering food.[4]
- According to the organization, including 25 grams of food daily in the diet reduces the risk of heart ailments.
4. Fish Oil
- According to the American Heart Association, people suffering from coronary diseases should consume 1 gm of fish oil daily.[5]
- The US National Institutes of Health also supports the intake of natural sources of fish oil to fight several forms of heart ailments.
5. Nuts
- They contain Arginine, which makes the walls of the arteries more flexible. This, in turn, helps in less formation of blood clots in the pathways of the heart.
- Nuts like almonds and walnuts can be eaten raw to benefit from the essential fatty acids.
- These components work wonders for the heart’s health by increasing the levels of good cholesterol HDL and reducing the harmful LDL and triglycerides.
6. Honey
- Researchers from the University of Illinois found that honey had mild protective effects against heart ailments.
- As part of the research, experts gave 25 men aged 18-68 years four tablespoons of honey for every 16-ounce glass of water.
- This mixture of honey and water significantly increased the levels of antioxidants in the participants’ blood.
- This beneficial state reduced the chances of narrowing of the arteries and decreased the risk of heart ailments.
7. Spinach
- It contains nitrite, which increases the life span of heart patients by one-third.
- This is the finding announced by the researchers of the University of Texas.
- They recommend the intake of five to nine ounces of nitrites as part of the diet.
8. Oatmeal
- The food is high in fiber content, and consumption of a bowl of this food daily is very beneficial for heart patients.
- The Food and Drug Administration also allows foods containing oatmeal to carry labels claiming they reduce the risk of heart diseases since 1997.
9. Blueberries
- According to Finnish research, moderate consumption of this fruit can increase good cholesterol levels and reduce blood pressure.[6]
- 72 middle-aged men and women were made to eat 150 grams of this fruit for eight weeks.
- At the end of the study, experts found that HDL cholesterol levels increased by 5.2 percent on average in the participants.
10. Dark chocolates
- Yale University researchers found that eating dark chocolates reduces blood pressure within two hours of consumption.
- Cocoa widens the arteries of the heart, thus increasing the flow of blood, removing plaques, and reducing the strain on the heart.
