7. Whole Grains
Carbohydrates are generally considered a bad dietary choice these days, but that is usually because we are eating the bad ones where the goodness has been refined out of the food. Fibre is an important component of a heart-healthy diet, but most people only eat half of the required daily amount. Fibre mainly comes from whole grains and vegetables and fruit, and everyone knows we are not eating enough veggies and fruit.
So don’t leave the carbs out of your diet – just make sure at least half of them are the good ones. Fibre helps the heart by removing bad cholesterol from the body and can also reduce blood pressure problems. Switching to high-fiber substitutes from refined grains is an easy choice to make, so replace your cereal with a high fiber alternative and wholewheat pasta, brown bread and brown rice instead.
Since brown bread is man-made, spend some time shopping for a bread that has the best fiber load and watches out for added ingredients like extra sugar and salt which may detract from the health benefits of the product. It may not be called “brown bread” but with a little effort you can find something that you enjoy but still offers whole grain health benefits.Fibre can help you feel full but passes through your body undigested, indeed it can extract certain foods along the way; which means that it adds no calories and can actually reduce your calories. The fiber in whole grains is usually of the insoluble variety, which means you should ensure you have oats, beans, and legumes in your diet to provide soluble fiber, which is the other useful type. Make sure you drink lots of water to complement your fiber intake.
8. Turmeric
Turmeric is traditionally used in Indian cooking. It gives curries their yellowish color. Not only is it tasty, but it also creates a pleasing aesthetic when you use it in your cooking. But, even more importantly, it has a variety of healing properties. Its active ingredient is curcumin. This substance is rich in antioxidants. They stop fatty deposits from building up in your arteries before they even start. Some study has been done on turmeric and its effect on the health of your arteries. Mice were the subjects of the study. After 16 weeks, those mice fed a diet rich in curcumin had a 26% reduction in fatty deposits in their arteries. This means that curcumin may prevent the development of atherosclerosis.
The anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric can help to reduce the damage clogging does to your arteries. If you’re not a curry fan, you can still get turmeric into your diet. Try out a golden latte. It’s a beverage made with a healthy sprinkling of turmeric.
9. Watermelon
There’s nothing to beat a delicious slice of watermelon on a hot summer’s day. It’s sweet and refreshing. It’s the perfect base for a fruit salad. Or you can enjoy some own its own. Not only that, it’s an excellent diet food. Watermelon is recommended for people who want to lose weight. In addition to this benefit of watermelon, it can assist in the protection of your heart as well. It contains an amino acid called L-citrulline.
A study conducted at Florida State University studied people who were given a 4,000mg dose of L-citrulline. After a mere six weeks, their blood pressure had declined. It’s believed that the amino acids in watermelon help the body produce nitric oxide. This substance widens the blood vessels, allowing the blood to flow to the heart more easily. It also decreases the rate at which plaque grows in the arteries and prevents blood clots from forming. People with pre-existing heart conditions take nitroglycerin. It works by converting into nitric oxide.
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