Following a healthy diet is vital for the health of our heart, especially if we choose heart-healthy foods. We reveal which are the best.
The heart is probably one of the most important organs in our body. It beats between 50 to 100 times per minute, and basically consists of a wonderful pump that, through its driving action, provides the vital force so that both the blood and the substances it carries circulate properly through the veins and arteries.
In this way, with each beat the heart is able to expel a certain amount of blood towards the aorta (the thickest artery), and thanks to the existence of a successive number of branches that leave the aorta the blood finally reaches everything the organism.
That is why it is so important to take care of the heart, because if we take care of it and protect it every day with certain habits and with food, we will be able to preserve our health in general, helping us to extend our life. A very useful –and recommended- way is to practice physical exercise on a regular basis, avoid tobacco and alcohol and opt for healthy and natural foods.
And it is that food in this sense has an almost vital importance, in the same way that it helps us when it comes to enjoying good health, taking care of it and protecting it and being useful in turn to prevent diseases and conditions. For example, by opting for heart-healthy foods we are able to protect the heart, since we provide our body with foods rich in nutrients and fatty acids that help prevent and avoid the narrowing of the arteries, as well as the formation of clots.
The best heart-healthy foods to take care of the heart
Avocado: rich in healthy fatty acids
The avocado is a wonderful fruit extremely rich in essential nutrients, and particularly in healthy fatty acids, particularly monounsaturated fatty acids.
These facts are ideal for natural heart care mainly because they help reduce high levels of both cholesterol and triglycerides.
Garlic: helps thin the blood
The garlic is a food with powerful benefits. Among the different compounds that we find inside we must highlight the presence of allicin, which among other aspects helps to thin and purify the blood, improving blood circulation.
It also helps to take care of the health of our arteries by reducing high levels of LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, precisely preventing the oxidation of cholesterol and preventing the appearance of arteriosclerosis.
Walnuts: rich in omega-3
In the like avocado, the nuts stand out as being a very rich nuts healthy fatty acids, among which we must especially mention the presence of omega-3.
As you surely know, this essential fatty acid helps protect arteries against arteriosclerosis, preventing heart attack. In addition, it is equally useful to reduce the fat present in the arteries. It also stands out for its high lecithin content, with equally heart-healthy benefits.
Oatmeal: controls cholesterol
The oatmeal is an essential food in our diet, mainly because it stands out as a cereal full of benefits and health properties, especially its high content of fiber and other nutrients.
For example, it is an ideal natural option for breakfast due to its fiber content, which helps control cholesterol and high blood pressure.
Pumpkin: rich in antioxidants
The pumpkin is an ideal vegetable for the care of our heart, but actually is not as well-known as other popular foods for their heart – healthy qualities.
It is very rich in potassium and yet very low in sodium, which is why it is very useful in reducing high blood pressure. It stands out for its high content of antioxidants, especially beta-carotenes, which help protect our arteries in a totally natural way.
