Heart Health / Top 10 Eats for a Healthy Heart - Part 1

Good Eating Habits + Regular Exercise = Healthy Heart

Easier said than done - yes! How about asking yourself... Would you choose the pain of commitment now or pain of regret later?  I believe that it is always a personal choice to keep a healthy body.    There will be a bit of a challenge in the beginning but at the end of the day with discipline and determination, you will be happy you made the right choice.

Let's get started, here are 10 Heart Healthy foods you should begin liking.

1/ AVOCADO - known to be high in fat but their fat content is actually responsible for its health benefits.  Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fat, the type of fat that can lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and raise HDL (good) cholesterol levels.  It is also rich in folate and potassium - both essential for a healthy heart.  Just take avocado in moderation though as 1 medium size already gives over 300 calories.

2/ DARK CHOCOLATE - Yummy!  Choose dark chocolate that contains at least 70% cocoa for the most health benefits.  Not only your comfort food, dark chocolate contains flavonoids, compounds with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-clotting properties.  Studies show that having as little as 7.5g of dark chocolate each day can lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes. 

NOTE: health benefits of chocolates are limited to dark chocolate, milk chocolate / white chocolate are not a good option.

3/ SOY MILK - while many are used to drinking fresh cows milk, having soy milk as substitute is not bad at all.  Personally, I find soy milk lighter than the normal dairy coming from animals.  Soy milk help reduce total cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides.  Soy food also help boost HDL (good) cholesterol, lower blood pressure and keep blood vessels healthy.

4/ LENTILS - are an exceptional source of fibre which helps keep heart disease at bay.  A half cup serving of cooked lentils delivers 12g of fibre - half the daily recommended intake for women.  It is also packed with folate and magnesium - important nutrients for good heart health.  Compared to other dried beans, lentils are easiest to cook due to its small size. 

5/ SALMON - best eaten when steamed, grilled or baked, salmon tops the list of heart healthy foods.  High in Omega-3 fatty acids, salmon help reduce blood pressure, triglycerides, blood clots and can also protect against irregular heart beats.  According to studies, eating fatty fish as salmon 1 - 2 times each week is enough to lower the risk of dying from a heart attack by over 30%.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Did you find this article useful? Please share with your friends, they may like it too.