Best foods for your heart, and tips to eat them

These colourful little fruits pack a punch when it comes to improving heart health. They’re full of antioxidants that have been proven to reduce the risk factors for heart disease. This includes a possible reduction in cholesterol levels and an improvement in how your arteries function. The best thing about this is, there are many varieties of berries (eg. strawberries, blueberries, raspberries) to choose from, with each type coming with unique benefits so you won’t get bored of them.

Tips to eat: Sprinkle some berries into your oats bowl or yoghurt for breakfast, snack on them whenever you feel like you need a sugar rush (without the guilt because they’re naturally sweetened!) or enjoy them as a dessert with a bit of cream or ice cream.

There’s a good reason why we’re always told to eat our greens – they contain a host of benefits, even for your heart. A European study revealed that eating leafy vegetables helps to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease in women, so get some greens into your diet whenever you can. Leafy greens like spinach and kale contain high levels of vitamin K, which is good for your arteries and encourages healthy blood clotting.

Tips to eat: Choose salads (without the dressing) for meals whenever possible and include as many leafy greens as you can in simple dishes like noodles, stir-fries, sandwiches or wraps.

A diet high in beans and legumes could lead to a significant reduction in LDL cholesterol levels. LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol is often referred to as the ‘bad’ cholesterol, as it sits in the walls of blood vessels, thus increasing your chances of getting a stroke or heart attack. On the other hand, HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol is the ‘good’ cholesterol that transports LDL into your liver, which then flushes it out of your system.

Most legumes such as green beans, peas, chick peas and lentils contain phytochemicals which may protect against high blood pressure and heart disease.

Tips to eat: Sprinkle chick peas or black beans on salads or snack on (preferably unsalted) soy nuts. Toss some beans into your breakfast omelette or add them to sandwiches or wraps. Keep canned beans in your pantry for quick, easy meals, but remember to buy the low-salt or unsalted variety.

Note that not everyone finds it easy to digest beans and legumes as they may increase intestinal gas and flatulence, so take it slow if you don’t react well to them. Also, drink more water and exercise regularly to help your system digest them.

Health experts have been espousing the benefits of avocados for years now, and its heart-friendly qualities are usually at the top of the list. Avocados are loaded with heart-healthy fats; they contain oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid that’s also found in olive oil. Plus, they have high levels of potassium, which could reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.

Tips to eat: Smashed avocado is a hit for a reason – it’s both healthy and simple to prepare (eat it at a cafe if you don’t want to make it at home). Add sliced avocados to salads, grill them as a side dish, add them to sandwiches/wraps, dip your corn chips in guacamole, or look for a simple stuffed avocado recipe for breakfast.

Fish has the winning combination of being high in omega-3 fatty acids and low in saturated fat. Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna and sardines are especially beneficial. Including fish in your diet in the long term will reduce your risk factors for getting cardiovascular disease. A study found that reducing fish intake by 100g a week leads to a 19 per cent higher chance of having one additional risk factor for cardiovascular disease, such as hypertension, diabetes or obesity.

Fish oil supplements are an option too, but remember that it’s always better to get your nutrients from the original source.

Tips to eat: Grill some salmon for an easy, healthy dinner. Add canned sardines or tuna to a salad or make sandwiches with them. Mackerel can be baked or pan-fried with some vegetables.

(Read also “Common Myths About Omega-3, Debunked“)

Loads of nuts to choose from here – almonds, peanuts, walnuts, pistachios and pecans. Nuts are high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which help to lower bad cholesterol. Walnuts and almonds are particularly good choices.

Tips to eat: Whether you’re running from one meeting to another or binge-watching your favourite series, snacking on nuts is a great choice. You could also add them into salads, noodles or stir-fries. However, note that nuts are high in calories due to their high fat content, so keep each portion size to just a handful. Choose the raw, baked, roasted or unsalted versions, instead of fried or sugar-coated variations. (Also, nuts attached to chocolate obviously don’t count as healthy options, even though we love them.)

(Read also “Are Nuts And Seeds The Way To Better Heart Health?“)

This juicy red beauty contains lycopene, which is responsible for its rich colour. Lycopene is an antioxidant that has anti-inflammatory abilities and improves vascular function. Lycopene also helps to reduce LDL cholesterol, even if you’re overweight. Plus, tomatoes are high in potassium, which reduces blood pressure, thus keeping your heart in healthier shape.

Tips to eat: Add tomatoes to salads, sandwiches and wraps. If you love making scrambled eggs for weekend breakfasts, chop some bits of tomato and add into them. Tomatoes can even be added to stir-fries. For an easy and healthy snack, munch on some juicy cherry tomatoes.

Whole grains are nutritious because they contain all three parts of a grain – bran, germ and endosperm. Because they are less processed, there are more vitamins, minerals and fibre in them, compared to other types of grains (ie. refined grains such as white rice, white bread or pasta). Examples of whole grains include oats, brown rice, barley and quinoa.

The high amount of fibre in whole grains reduces the risk of coronary heart disease. And, because the fibre in whole grains make you feel fuller for longer, you’re less likely to reach for high-fat or high-sugar foods in between meals, which helps you maintain a healthy weight too.

Tips to eat: When it comes to consuming more whole grains instead of refined grains, making that mental shift is just as important as adjusting your palate. Do so in a way that’s reasonable and sustainable in the long run. Wherever possible, choose brown or unpolished rice instead of white rice, wholegrain bread instead of white bread, and oats instead of processed cereals for breakfast. If you love snacking on crackers, pick the wholegrain version. Make it a habit and who knows, you might cultivate a liking for wholegrain foods eventually.

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