How to keep your heart healthy with nutrition: 5 tips from doctors
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Good nutrition and a healthy heart are inextricably linked. Following a heart-healthy diet can help lower blood cholesterol, sugar, and triglycerides and control blood pressure. On the other hand, the right choice of diet reduces the risk factors of heart disease.
Advice on a healthy diet for the heart was given by experts from the Cleveland Clinic (Cleveland Clinic).
More vegetables and fruits< /strong>
Fruits and vegetables contain various antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber that are essential for good health. At the same time, the diet should include a variety of fruits and vegetables. “Choosing foods from all the colors of the rainbow ensures you're getting a variety of nutrients. Eat carrots and oranges, tomatoes, strawberries and raspberries, plums and eggplants, blueberries and blackberries, green grapes, celery, spinach and kiwi, experts say.
Less saturated fat and trans fat
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Trans fats and saturated fats are the so-called “bad” fats. They increase the level of LDL cholesterol, which contributes to the formation of plaques in the arteries. Red meat (beef, pork, veal and lamb) contains a lot of saturated fat. It is also recommended to reduce the amount of processed meat (hot dogs, salami, pepperoni, etc.).
The best choice is to use monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. They can be found in nuts, seeds, avocados, olives, soybeans and oily fish.
Less animal protein
Animal proteins are found in beef, pork, lamb, poultry, and eggs, as well as in cheeses and yogurts. A high amount of animal protein in the diet usually means that a person consumes more cholesterol and saturated fat, which contribute to an increased risk of heart disease. Therefore, it is better to add vegetable proteins (legumes, nuts and seeds) to the diet.
More fiber
As part of a healthy diet, fiber can lower cholesterol levels and help control blood sugar levels, supports normal bowel function, prevents gastrointestinal diseases.
Good sources of soluble fiber are oats, oat bran, barley, legumes, apples, pears, and citrus fruits. Sources of insoluble fiber include wheat bran, whole wheat and other whole grains, bread, nuts and vegetables.
Less sweet
It's hard to resist sweet foods, but it is not necessary to completely exclude sugar from the diet – it is enough to reduce its consumption. This applies not only to pastries and desserts, but also to drinks containing sugar.
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