Foods your Heart will Love
What’s the link between food and heart health?
It doesn’t always get the most press, but heart disease is still the No.1 killer across the world. And unlike many other diseases, it’s often not noticed until it’s too late.
But the good news is that there are many simple dietary and lifestyle changes you can make immediately that will bring your risk of heart disease down substantially. Changes that can even improve your quality of life as well as your cardiovascular health.
Do dietary changes really make a difference?
10 years ago my 90-year old father sold his house and came to live with us. He had been caring for my mother for several years as she battled dementia and he was exhausted physically and mentally. My mother had always done the cooking, so since he had taken over, they had lived on a diet of takeaways or ready-made frozen foods. His regular golf games were long gone and he had put on weight. On top of that he was on 4 different medications for high blood pressure, cholesterol and insomnia.
After a year of living with us and enjoying our plant-heavy, mostly Mediterranean type diet, he had dropped 20 pounds and was able to come off 3 of the 4 medications. Fast forward 10 years and we celebrated his 100th birthday 2 months ago. He is still enjoying good health and seeing his grandchildren whenever he can. So yes, the answer is that it’s never too late to make the changes that matter.
OK, so what’s the best heart friendly diet?
Many scientific studies have clearly shown that the best diet for heart health is plant-heavy; Mediterranean in influence; very low on sugar and processed foods and combined with regular exercise and good lifestyle habits. And in case you’re recognising a theme here, it’s absolutely that case that eating and living this way can also lower your chances of succumbing to many other chronic diseases that can lower your quality of life and even shorten it. So let’s dive in with 10 of the most heart-friendly foods you can start enjoying as soon as tomorrow:
Berries
Small but definitely mighty; berries of all kinds are powerhouses for cardiovascular health. One 2016 meta-analysis found that berry consumption contributed to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, blood pressure,and body mass index.
Simply consuming 1 to 2 daily portions of either strawberries, raspberries or blueberries can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.
Dark green, leafy vegetables
I know, I know, there’s never a month when I don’t mention the old kale, Swiss chard and spinach. But when it comes to heart health, there’s aren’t many foods that can help lower cholesterol, reduce blood pressure and improve artery health the way these tasty greens do. It’s all about the vitamin K they contain. One meta-analysis showed regular consumption reduced cardiovascular disease by 16%. That’s a lot.
Avocados
Another stalwart of the health scene, avocados contain a lot of potassium, which stimulates the release of nitric oxide, which in turn helps lower blood pressure and improves the health of your arteries. Plus they’re full of lovely monounsaturated fats, which help lower cholesterol and again improve heart health
Nuts & Seeds
I regularly talk about ‘pimping your food’ and adding a handful of crushed nuts and seeds is a very easy way to boost your heart health. Various types of nuts have been shown to lower LDL cholesterol levels, reduce the risk of inflammation, decrease body weight and insulin resistance, and improve endothelial function when consumed on a regular basis. Walnuts, in particular, have been extensively studied for their positive effect on LDL cholesterol. Part of the reason may have to do with their high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. Flax and chia seeds are also rich in healthy fats and are two of the best sources of plant-based omega-3’s, namely ALA — an essential fatty acid we can only get from food. How many nuts and seeds should you eat? One daily serving of nuts can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease by 39%.
Beans & Pulses
Forget meat-free Mondays - how about trying to fit these little packets of heart health into your life at least 3 times a week? According to a 2005 study, just 1 serving of beans a day can reduce your risk of heart disease by up to 38%. It’s all about the high concentration of vitamins, minerals, fibre and phytochemicals they contain. And of course when you’re using them as a source of protein instead of red meat, you’re also bringing down your consumption of saturated fats which is also a good thing for the heart.
Tomatoes
There’s nothing like a really tasty raw tomato. But to truly extract the heart supporting goodness of tomatoes, you need to cook them. That increases the availability of lycopene, a phytochemical and strong antioxidant that’s particularly abundant in ripe tomatoes. So start adding tomatoes to your stews and soups to take advantage of one of nature’s superstars.
Apples
What could be simpler than adding an apple to your day? Apples contain pectin, a soluble fibre that can actually block the absorption of cholesterol in the gut. They’re also rich in antioxidants and polyphenols that can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol. Eating the skin is important though as that’s where a lot of the goodness lies. So if you’d rather have your apple as a drink, make a smoothie with the skin rather than a juice.
Garlic
Famed as a heart healthy spice for centuries, eating even half a clove a day has been shown to lower blood cholesterol levels by up to 9%. Garlic also can help lower blood pressure and even the risk of blood clots. Most Mediterranean families wouldn’t dream of cooking without including onions and garlic so maybe you should too.
Turmeric
Another centuries old superstar, it’s the curcuminoids in turmeric that give it superpower. The antioxidant effects of curcumin can prevent heart-related complications due to diabetes, lower LDL cholesterol levels, protect against atherosclerosis, and prevent heart failure and arrhythmias.
Olive oil
Another Mediterranean all-star ingredient, the monounsaturated fats contained in extra virgin olive oil are a natural cardiovascular aid. Liberal use of the oil drizzled over salads, in light cooking and pretty much added to everything else has been shown to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease by over 10%.
Dark Chocolate
Hurrah! Dark chocolate (over 75% cacao solids) contains heart relaxing magnesium and high levels of antioxidants that may be more powerful than some of the superfruits. Best eaten after a meal to avoid any impact from the small amount of sugar in the chocolate, you can enjoy it as an after-dinner treat rich in the knowledge that you are actually doing your heart a favour.