21 Food for Healthy Heart

Helen Keller once said, “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched-they must be felt with the heart”.

So to experience good things you should have a healthy heart. Keeping your heart healthy is not rocket science, you need to build small yet healthy habits and your heart’s health will improve drastically. Below we will discuss 21 food for healthy heart.

Foods and Beverages

It is evident that the things we eat play a crucial role in our development and well-being. They say we are what we eat, so we should be extra cautious while choosing our diet as it can impact us in the long run. Maintaining healthy food habits can solve most of our health problems, so we should spend on quality food and nutritious beverages.

Nutrients Essential for Heart

Omega 3 Fatty Acids – Omega 3s can’t be synthesized inside our bodies, however, they help in producing hormones that control blood clotting and also decrease inflammation and blood pressure.
Fiber – High-fiber diets reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. It also controls blood sugar levels.
Monounsaturated Fat– Monounsaturated fats help in reducing bad cholesterol and work as an antioxidant.
Folate- Folate helps in the breakdown of homocysteine, which causes heart disease.
Potassium– Potassium helps in managing high blood pressure as it can reduce the effects of sodium. Potassium helps in relaxing blood vessels which results in low blood pressure.

21 Foods that can save your heart

Without further ado let’s jump to the list of foods for healthy heart that can prove to be a blessing for your heart; your heart will thank you for the superfoods we are suggesting, and you can thank us later!

1. Walnuts

Walnuts are loaded with the goodness of Omega 3 fatty acids, which have been proven to reduce heart ailments. They contain fiber, vitamin c, and polyunsaturated fats. They are also helpful in making your memory sharp, so what is stopping you from consuming them?

Easy Ways to Add to Your Meals: Add a handful of walnuts to your breakfast cereal, yogurt, or salad. You can also snack on them directly to boost your heart health and memory.

2. Almonds

Soak a handful of almonds at night and consume them in the morning. We are sure your heart will love it. Not only will your heart, but your brain will also benefit from the goodness of soaked almonds.

Easy Ways to Add to Your Meals: Soak a handful of almonds overnight and consume them in the morning. They can also be added to smoothies, oatmeal, or as a topping for desserts to nourish your heart and brain.

3. Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are a magical food for healthy heart. Low in calories and high in omega 3, these magical chia seeds can drastically reduce bad cholesterol and plaque build-up. The good thing is you can eat them with yogurt, smoothies, soup, salad and a lot of other things.

Easy Ways to Add to Your Meals: Mix chia seeds into your yogurt, smoothies, soups, or salads. You can also use them in baking or make chia pudding for a low-calorie, omega-3-rich treat.

4. Oatmeal

Oatmeal is a famous breakfast supplement for millennials out there, and luckily it is good enough for reducing cholesterol.

Easy Ways to Add to Your Meals: Start your day with a bowl of oatmeal topped with fruits, nuts, and seeds. You can also use oatmeal in baking or as a base for granola bars to help reduce cholesterol.

5. Coffee

If you are a coffee person, then congratulations! Coffee is found to be high in antioxidants and is a cure for type 2 diabetes. It can improve your cognition level also, but you should avoid sugar to reap the maximum benefits of coffee. Remember! Coffee is good, but in moderate amounts, too much coffee can adversely affect your health.

Easy Ways to Add to Your Meals: Enjoy a cup of black coffee or with minimal sugar and milk. Avoid adding too much sugar or high-fat creamers to keep it heart-healthy and rich in antioxidants.

6. Green Tea

Green Tea is an omnipresent beverage when it comes to healthcare. Its oxidant-rich qualities make it a panacea for lowering hypertension and reducing blood clots.

Easy Ways to Add to Your Meals: Drink a cup of green tea in the morning or evening. You can also enjoy it iced with a splash of lemon for a refreshing, hypertension-lowering drink.

7. Raisins

Raisins are rich in potassium, hence they work wonders in lowering hypertension; also they are rich in antioxidants so they have every right to be included in this list.

Easy Ways to Add to Your Meals: Add raisins to your cereal, yogurt, or salads. They can also be a healthy snack on their own, providing potassium and antioxidants.

8. Cauliflower

Cauliflower contains antioxidants fibers and allicin. All of these nutrients are proven to help in lowering the risk of heart attacks and reducing cholesterol. So next time you cook cauliflower, imagine the benefits you will get.

Easy Ways to Add to Your Meals: Roast cauliflower with olive oil and spices, or add it to stir-fries, soups, and salads. Cauliflower rice is also a great low-carb substitute packed with nutrients.

9. Apples

An apple a day, keeps a doctor away, so sure enough, consuming apples can boost your heart health. However, you should not peel it lest you lose all the anti-oxidants goodness, they also contain polyphenols pectin, and fiber. So why deprive yourself of the benefits of a red juicy apple.

Easy Ways to Add to Your Meals: Eat apples as a snack, add slices to your salads, or use them in baking. Remember to eat them with the skin on to get all the antioxidant benefits.

10. Leafy Green Veggies

The leafy green veggies that most of us don’t like can save a huge amount of money you waste on medications. They are rich in vitamin-K, which is good for your arteries and proper blood clotting; they have dietary nitrates which can reduce blood pressure. Consuming leafy green veggies can lower the risk of heart disease by 16%, so it would not be wrong if we called them the ninjas of the veggie-verse.

Easy Ways to Add to Your Meals: Include leafy greens like spinach, kale, or Swiss chard in your salads, smoothies, or soups. They can also be sautéed as a side dish to improve artery health.

11. Beans

Do you know how good beans have been? They promote heart health by reducing the levels of LDL, which is also known as bad cholesterol. Eating beans can reduce blood pressure and inflammation also.

Easy Ways to Add to Your Meals: Add beans to soups, salads, or stews. They can also be used as a base for dips or spreads like hummus to reduce bad cholesterol.

12. Tomato

Red juicy tomatoes are rich in lycopene, which is a powerful antioxidant that increases the levels of HDL, i.e. good cholesterol.

Easy Ways to Add to Your Meals: Enjoy tomatoes in salads, sandwiches, or as a base for sauces and soups. Roasted tomatoes also make a delicious side dish rich in lycopene.

13. Garlic

We Indians are fond of garlic and the good news is garlic is an excellent diet for a healthy heart. It can reduce total cholesterol by 17mg/L. Garlic inhibits platelet build-ups, ultimately reducing the risk of blood clots and stroke.

Easy Ways to Add to Your Meals: Use garlic in cooking to add flavor to your dishes. It can be added to sauces, marinades, and roasted vegetables to help reduce cholesterol.

14. Dark Chocolates

If chocolate is your first love, then you are lucky, but make sure it is dark chocolate and is low in sugar content. It has been found that high-quality chocolates can reduce the risk of heart failure by a whopping 32%. So drink cocoa and eat chocolates. Don’t be shy while expressing your love for this delicacy.

Easy Ways to Add to Your Meals: Enjoy a small piece of dark chocolate as a treat. Look for chocolates with at least 70% cocoa content to lower the risk of heart failure.

15. Avocado

Avocado is indeed the king of healthy foods, not only in taste but also in qualities. Avocados are rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which are good for your cardiovascular health.

Easy Ways to Add to Your Meals: Add avocado slices to your sandwiches, salads, or smoothies. You can also use it as a spread on toast to boost your cardiovascular health.

16. Ginger

Fans of ginger tea? Pat your backs, ginger has been found to reduce total cholesterol. Being rich in antioxidants, it is a great food for your heart. The gingerols found in ginger are loaded with anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties.

Easy Ways to Add to Your Meals: Use fresh ginger in your cooking, add it to teas, or include it in smoothies for an added health boost rich in antioxidants.

17. Olive Oil

Food cooked in olive oil reduces the risk of heart disease to a great extent. It reduces cholesterol and blood sugar levels and is also used as salad dressing, making it a must in a diet for healthy heart. Why not give it a try?

Easy Ways to Add to Your Meals: Use olive oil for cooking, as a salad dressing, or drizzle it over cooked vegetables and pasta dishes to reduce cholesterol.

18. Flax Seeds

Flax seeds are high in omega 3 fatty acids and fibers, both of which are excellent for heart health, so what’s stopping you from consuming them?

Easy Ways to Add to Your Meals: Add ground flax seeds to your cereals, smoothies, or yogurt. They can also be used in baking for a heart-healthy boost of omega-3 fatty acids.

19. Pomegranate

Pomegranate contains antioxidants, polyphenols, and anthocyanins, which help stave off the hardening of arteries and promote healthy blood flow.

Easy Ways to Add to Your Meals: Enjoy fresh pomegranate seeds as a snack, add them to salads, or use the juice in smoothies and sauces to promote healthy blood flow.

20. Beetroot

Beetroot is among the few veggies which contain betalains. Betalains are high in antioxidants and possess anti-inflammatory properties. So why not include more of them in your diet for a healthy heart?

Easy Ways to Add to Your Meals: Roast beetroot and add it to salads, or blend it into smoothies. Beetroot can also be used in soups and as a side dish to benefit from its antioxidants.

21. Chili Peppers

Chili peppers lower the risk of heart disease by improving cholesterol, lowering blood pressure, and enhancing circulation.

Easy Ways to Add to Your Meals: Add chili peppers to your dishes for a spicy kick. They can be used in sauces, stir-fries, and marinades to improve cholesterol and circulation.

Bottom Line

Now that you know how immensely Foods can help you in realizing your goals of a happy and healthy heart, we hope you will incorporate the information into your daily life. Always remember, small habits do make a big difference.