A diet that is most suitable for healthy patients and helps them to fight against health diseases is known as a cardiac diet. Today health diseases are very common around the world and cause the death of a lot of people in the world. I think heart patients should not rely just on medicines, but they should choose the right diet that keeps them healthy away from heart attacks. Diet plays an important role in maintaining the health of a person. You can choose your favorite food from a variety of food items that are heart-friendly like vegetables, fruits, grains, lean proteins, legumes, nuts, low-fat dairy, and vegetable oils.
Here I am describing some best choices that you can adopt in your diet to lead a healthy life.
- Using Leafy green vegetables:
Spinach, collard greens, and kale are green vegetables that are rich in minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants. Vitamin K is a major constituent of these vegetables which helps in protecting the arteries and enhances proper clotting of our blood. Dietary nitrates are also present in these, which reduce the stiffness of arteries, decrease blood pressure and increase the functioning of cells that line the blood vessels.
Scientific studies have shown that when we increase the intake of leafy green vegetables, it results in a lowering of heart disease incidents by up to 16%.
2. Use of Berries:
Strawberries, Blackberries, and blueberries contain important nutrients that play an important role in a healthy heart. Berries contain antioxidants like anthocyanin which prevent inflammation and oxidative stress that are harmful to the heart. So, berries are also included in the cardiac diet. Another scientific study showed that blueberries help in reducing the LDL (bad) cholesterol, body mass index, and blood pressure which is also a very common disease in the world. Berries can be used as a delicious dessert containing low calories.
3. Intake of Whole Grains:
Whole grains are also important parts of the cardiac diet. Whole wheat, oats, rye, buckwheat, and brown rice are all types of whole grains that we can use in our food to make it heart-friendly. There is no risk to using whole grains for heart patients but to a certain limit. Avoid refined carbohydrates, which are harmful to cardiac patients. To prevent the diseases like hypertension, whole grains are very effective.
Before purchasing any product containing whole grains, first, read carefully the ingredients on the pack. Terms like “Whole wheat” or “Whole grain” are suitable to purchase for cardiac patients. You should not choose the product indicating the terms “multigrain” or Wheat flour”.
4. Using Avocados:
Avocados are rich in monosaturated fats which are good for heart health as they are related to low levels of cholesterol and consequently decrease the heart risk. Using one avocado per day decreases the LDL (bad) cholesterol in our body. several types of research have proved the cardioprotective and lipid-lowering functions of avocado. Potassium is also present in avocado which is necessary for the heart. We get about 975 milligrams of potassium from just one avocado which can meet about 28% of our one-day body demands.
5. Walnuts and Almonds:
Walnut, the dry fruit is not only delicious but also good to use in a cardiac diet. These are rich in fibers and other micronutrients like copper, magnesium, and manganese. Scientific research in 2009 involved 365 participants that when we utilize walnuts in our diet, results in lowering the LDL and overall cholesterol. Nutrients, vitamins, monosaturated fats, and fibers, which help to reduce cholesterol levels are present in almonds. A scientific study showed that the use of almonds results in increasing the level of (good) HDL means good cholesterol which lowers the formation of plaques and protects the arteries. But keep in mind that if you are taking a diet for weight loss, then avoid taking too many almonds, as these are rich in calories.
We can also consider that walnuts and almonds make part of the cardiac diet but up to a limit.
6. Fatty Fish and Fish Oil:
It is a common belief that fats are dangerous for health, especially for heart patients. Contrary to this, fish is beneficial for heart patients. Fatty fish like mackerel, sardines, tuna, and salmon are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids play a protective role in the risk of cardiovascular disease. Research showed that long-term use of fish lowers the total cholesterol in the blood, fasting blood sugar, triglycerides, and blood pressure.
Consuming fish are decreasing the risk of depression and mortality. However, some people do not like to eat fish. One reason is the smell coming from fish. But this does not mean to stop using fish, but you can adopt some ways to reduce or eliminate that smell. When we squeeze lemon on the fish meat and gently mix it, then leave it for some time. This will eliminate all the smell. But the other alternative to fish is using fish oil in your diet, which is also advantageous.
7. Using Beans and legumes in Diet:
Resistant starch is the important constituent of beans which resist the digestion of food and so prevent obesity. Resistant starch is important and good for our gut and certain beneficial microbes of the gut. A diet rich in legumes and beans, lower the level of cholesterol and (bad) LDL. Eating beans also results in reducing inflammation.
8. Tomatoes:
Tomatoes are rich in plant pigment lycopene, which is a powerful antioxidant. The role of antioxidants is to neutralize the free radicals which are dangerous to the body. These free radicals cause oxidative damage and thus inflammation in our body. So, the use of tomatoes decreases the risk of heart attack due to its lycopene pigment. But consumption of tomatoes should be up to a limit, otherwise, It may lead to kidney stones. As tomatoes contain oxalate salts which can accumulate in our body and make stone. I do not want that to reduce the risk of one disease, you are entangled in any other disease.
9. Dark chocolate:
Dark chocolate contains flavonoids, which is also an antioxidant and thus good for heart health. But use chocolate up to the moderate level to get full advantage, lowering risks of coronary heart disease, and heart stroke. But chocolate is rich in sugars and thus calories, which can be risky for obsessed patients.
10. Seeds:
Chia seeds, hemp seeds, and flaxseeds are rich in healthy nutrients, omega-3 fatty acids, and fibers. These all are best for decreasing the risks of heart diseases like inflammation, cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure. Hemp seeds contain the amino acid, arginine which lowers the blood level in inflammatory markers. While chia seeds result in the lowering of triglycerides in the blood and increase the beneficial HDL cholesterol.
11. Olive Oil:
Olive oil is well known due to its advantages for heart patients. It contains antioxidants that lower the rate of inflammation and thus the danger of chronic disease. Monosaturated fatty acids are also present in olive oil which are beneficial to prevent heart diseases. Research in which 7216 adults having great risk for heart disease, participated. It showed that the risk of heart disease lowered to about 35% in them when they utilized olive oil.
Due to the presence of oleic acid and antioxidants, olive oil is also beneficial for patients with hypertension. You can use olive oil by sprinkling it over the cooked food or by adding it to sauces. So, olive oil is a necessary part of the cardiac diet.
12. Garlic:
Garlic is considered a natural remedy to treat a variety of diseases for centuries. Now, research has also proved its medicinal properties and advantages for healthy patients. Garlic contains a compound, allicin which has various therapeutic effects. Garlic is an important constituent of the cardiac diet. One study shows that when garlic extract is taken about 600-1500 mg daily for 24 weeks, it proved to be very effective to reduce blood pressure. Garlic extracts also reduce the building up of extra platelets thus lowering the risk of blood clots and heart disease.
You can take garlic in raw form, or first crush the garlic and after a few minutes use it in cooking. This duration will allow the formation of allicin and optimum benefits can be driven.
13. Green Tea:
Green tea is not only useful to burn the increased fat in our body and to enhance insulin sensitivity, but it has many other benefits as well. It is packed with polyphenols and catechins which have antioxidant effects and thus work in preventing cell damage, reducing inflammation, and conserving heart health. Research declared that green tea eliminates the higher leptin and LDL (bad) cholesterol in obese women. So, it not only helps in reducing the blood pressure but decreases the risk of health decreases.
Concluding Point:
I will conclude my discussion on the point that all the natural ingredients I have just mentioned above are beneficial for the health of the heart, but if you are a severe patient heart then don’t rely on just these remedies. These remedies that are involved in the cardiac diet are just to decrease the risks to health patients, but you should keep taking medicines described by doctors. But these all things up to a certain limit are not harmful, these will surely benefit you. Keep visiting this blog to get more useful information.
0 Comments