Eat Your Way To a Healthy Heart

Introduction

We all understand the importance of maintaining heart health, and so we have compiled a list of foods to introduce or increase in your diet and foods best to avoid. Our latest article will help you find ideas for creating healthy menus focusing on your overall health.

Seeds, Nuts & Oils

These little grains of goodness are helpful to heart health, walnuts are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, just a handful of these nuts can also help boost protein and lower cholesterol. Seeds such as chia & flaxseed have been shown to have a beneficial effect on cardiovascular health. Extra-Virgin olive oil is rich in polyphenols which are protective compounds linked to disease prevention.

How to incorporate into your meals?

Snack on walnuts instead of crisps, you can add chia seeds and flaxseeds to breakfast cereal and porridge. Cook using rapeseed oil and use extra-virgin olive oil as a salad dressing.

Fruits And Veggies

Studies have shown you can reduce your risk of ischaemic stroke by a third with every extra 200g of fruit and veg you consume. Fruits and Vegetables are rich in potassium which help to manage blood pressure and keep our arteries healthy. Mix it up and include varied vegetables in your diet from leafy greens, avocado and broccoli to red cabbage, tomatoes and aubergines. Garlic has been shown to have beneficial effects on heart health by reducing cell damage and regulating cholesterol.

How to incorporate into your meals?

Add avocados to your salads, add garlic to your casseroles and fish dishes.

To see more ways of bulking up your meals with fruit and veg please see our previous post Getting Your 5 a Day, Healthy Eating Advice For Over 50s

Warming Herbs and Spices

Ginger is known to have natural blood-thinning and anti-inflammatory benefits whilst also being an old-time favourite for reliving nausea. Chilli, cinnamon, oregano and allspice can also help reduce inflammation and protect the cardiovascular system. Turmeric contains curcumin, a substance with powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

How to incorporate into your meals?

Replace salt with seasonings like the above for healthier dishes full of flavour, add some extra spice to that vegetable curry! Get seasonal, as we are approaching the colder months and make a batch of cinnamon baked apples!

Fish

Oily fish such as mackerel, sardines and salmon are sources of Omega 3 fats which have been shown to help prevent heart disease and stroke, lower triglycerides and slow the rate of artery hardening, it all adds up to a healthier heart.

How to incorporate into your meals?

Researchers suggest consuming two servings per week of fish to reduce the risk of heart disease. You can switch out meat in dishes and try a fish version, there are many recipes available for fish curry or fish tacos.

Fibre

Soluble fibre may help lower total blood cholesterol levels by lowering low-density lipoprotein further lowering your risk for heart disease. Wholegrains and pulses are a great source of magnesium which helps to relax blood vessels. Drinking more fluids is essential to help the fibre work more effectively. Beans are rich in minerals and fibre, they can also keep you fuller for longer. We all know the rhyme beans, beans, they’re good for your heart…

How to incorporate into your meals?

Add chickpeas to your salads or roast them in seasoning for a crunchy snack, beans on wholegrain toast makes for a filling but light lunch.

Popular Diets For Heart Health

Mediterranean Diet - A Mediterranean diet naturally means one that is abundant in fruit and vegetables, oily fish and wholegrains with little amounts of meat and low-fat dairy.

DASH Diet - DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension and is a low-salt diet. It is an eating plan intended to help, treat and prevent high blood pressure, it includes foods that are rich in magnesium, calcium and potassium and foods that are high in saturated fat, sodium and added sugars are limited.

Vegan - A plant-based diet with strictly no animal products. A heart-healthy vegan eating pattern includes beans, lentils, and soy foods for protein. When enjoying a vegan diet for heart health make sure to avoid ultra-processed vegan meals as they can be high in their fat and sodium content.

Flexitarian Diet - A flexitarian diet simply means a flexible approach towards a vegetarian diet, consisting of mainly fruits, vegetables and pulses but not eliminating entirely meat and other animal products. 

The Bottom Line

Our diets and what we feed ourselves is more than just fuel for the body, we need to be fuelling our bodies with goodness and nutrients to prevent diseases and manage our heart health.

To do this we should control portion sizes, eat more fruit, veggies, wholegrains and limit fats like butter and pastries. Moderation is key for a healthy diet choose low fat proteins and cut off any visible fat from meat. Make sure to plan your meals ahead and sleep well as tiredness can lead to craving unhealthy dishes. Read the traffic light labels on food packaging.