Best Foods to Eat for a Healthy Heart

Your diet has a direct effect upon your heart and its functioning. You must consume foods that are good for its health and make it stronger. Some of these foods are:

Oily fish

Trout, sardine, salmon, herring and mackerel have omega 3 fats that are good for your heart. They lower triglyceride levels, prevent blood clotting and regulate heart beat. It is better to eat three servings of fish per week. Fish oil supplements or pills can be a good alternate.

Avocado

It contains monounsaturated fats in high amount. They lower LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol. You can have them in salads, snacks and oatcakes.

Olive oil

Anti-oxidants in olive oil help lower cholesterol level. Try to find out the extra virgin olive oil because it comes with higher amount of anti-oxidants. Consume at least 2 tablespoon everyday. Use in cooking or pour in salad dressings.

Dark chocolate

Good news for chocoholics! Dark chocolate is good for keeping your heart healthy. According to a studies conducted in UK, people eating dark chocolate regularly have 37 % less risk of heart ailments. It is because cocoa in chocolate contains falvanols. They help lower blood pressure and also reduce damage caused by free radicals. Choose chocolate that has about 70 percent of cocoa and eat only one square a day.

Blueberries

People who eat blueberries often have 10 percent less chances of getting hypertension or high blood pressure. Blueberries have high content of antioxidants, vitamin C, potassium, fiber, folate and magnesium. Take them fresh as snack or add in your muffins. Pour into yogurt or mix up in smoothie to enjoy.

Spinach

This iron-rich green leafy veggie is beneficial for your heart function too. It has folate which helps reduce homocysteine. High homocysteine levels can increase chances of stroke or heart attack. Add baby spinach in salads and enjoy its benefits.

Nuts

People who regularly eat nuts have less chances of developing common heart diseases. Nuts have magnesium, vitamin E, phytosterols and fiber. They are all good for your heart. Munch a few grams of nuts often or layer nut butter on oatcakes in your breakfast.

Oats

A studies shows that consuming 3 grams of oats daily helps protect against cardiac diseases. It lowers LDL cholesterol. Oats are rich in beta-glucan. A soluble fiber. It binds with water and form a thick gel in digestive tract. This gel binds excess cholesterol and then flushes it out of the body.