What food to eat to keep your heart in shape
Just like the rest of your body, your heart needs to be in good shape for you to enjoy good health. Here’s what food you need to eat to help ensure this.
Your heart is very much like a machine; it’s the strongest muscle in your body, and in order for it to work properly, it is necessary to fill it with healthy fuel or foods that will help preserve its health for as long as possible.
As well as getting regular physical activity and ensuring you’re exposed to as little stress as possible in everyday life, you need to eat a healthy diet to keep your heart in good working order.
Many people who are obese can suffer from heart disease, and often one of the first things a cardiologist will tell you when you go for a heart ultrasound is to lose weight, change your diet and stop smoking.
They also recommend a diet that is lower in sugar, artificial colors, some fats, and processed food. Check out the list below if you want to include healthier foods in your diet that will help you have more energy, feel better, and enjoy higher energy levels.
Salmon
Salmon and various types of sea fish such as tuna, sardines and herring are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which have an anti-inflammatory effect on your body. In addition to these sea fish, your diet can include river fish like trout.
You don’t need to eat fish every day of the week, but it’s a good idea to try to include it in your diet at least twice a week. Omega-3 fatty acids can also be obtained from plants, such as flax seeds, but the process is a little different (they break down differently in the body as they must first be converted from alpha-linolenic acids to omega-3 acids).
Nuts
If you eat nuts, you can significantly improve your heart health. Nuts are an excellent source of omega fatty acids and micro-minerals.
A healthy amount to eat daily is enough to just fit in your hand. That is approximately 5-10 pieces of walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds or similar nuts. And while it’s healthy to eat nuts you also need to be careful because these foods are quite high in calories.
Here are the health benefits of some of the most popular nuts:
- Walnuts contain the most alpha linolenic acid, which is a form of omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids, so they are great for maintaining heart health.
- Peanuts are rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, fats that have a positive effect on the health of the heart and cardiovascular system, as well as zinc, a mineral that is important for healthy growth and development.
- Brazil nuts are an excellent source of selenium, a mineral that has an anti-inflammatory effect and protects against cardiovascular diseases.
Eating a balanced diet that suits your needs is the key. A gluten-free meal delivery service can help you with dietary restrictions, whether you want to eat a gluten-free diet because of your weight or because of your lifestyle.
Extra virgin olive oil
Freshly pressed olive oil has long been used as a medicine and for food. When you see the description “extra virgin”, it just means that it is not refined, chemically modified and contains 1% oleic acid or less. It is delicious and aromatic, and you can pour it over your salad.
Olive oil that is simply described as “virgin” means that all regulations are followed, it just doesn’t contain the required percentage of oleic acid.
Harvard scientists claim that half a teaspoon of olive oil reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease by 21%. As mentioned, olive oil contains oleic acid, which is an omega-9 unsaturated fatty acid that is also found in meat, nuts, avocados and edible oils.
Greenery
We all know what tasty green vegetables are, but do you know how beneficial they are for you?
Kale contains nitrates that improve blood circulation and thus dilate blood vessels and open arteries. Spinach, meanwhile, contains potassium which reduces the pressure on the walls of blood vessels and eliminates excess sodium from the body.
Broccoli contains vitamins C and E which have antioxidant effects effective in fighting free radicals that damage cells. Broccoli also contains folate (a natural form of B vitamins present in food) that lowers homocysteine, an amino acid directly linked to the risk of cardiovascular disease
When we talk about health, it is clear that we need to take into account how we feed our bodies and how important it is to eat a healthy diet. Many people do not understand the importance of good nutrition and the benefits you can achieve if you change your diet.
