Heart disease accounts for nearly one-third of all deaths worldwide (1Trusted Source).
Diet plays a major role in heart health and can impact your risk of heart disease.
In fact, certain foods can influence blood pressure, triglycerides, cholesterol levels and inflammation, all of which are risk factors for heart disease.
Keeping your heart healthy is about more than avoiding fast food and overly processed chow. You can also pump up your heart’s health by choosing foods that will help reduce cholesterol, lower blood pressure and reduce inflammation.
Here are 10 Foods that helps reduce the risk of Cardiovascular Diseases.
1. Barley
This is a super-healthy whole grain, and it comes in a range of forms: pearled barley, barley flour, flakes, grits and more. Among all the whole grains, barley is one of the best sources of fiber, which protects your heart by keeping blood sugar in check, and it has flavonoids and other phytochemicals that research has shown to protect against heart disease.
2. Fish
Putting more salmon, sardines, tuna and other fish on your dinner plate can help reduce your blood pressure and cardiovascular risk. Seafood is full of good-for-you omega-3 fatty acids that lower can triglyceride levels in the blood. Even if you choose canned fish, you’ll still get the same benefits.
3. Walnut
A small handful of walnuts a day may lower your cholesterol. It may also protect against inflammation in your heart’s arteries. Walnuts are packed with omega-3s, healthy fats called monounsaturated fats, plant sterols, and fiber. The benefits come when walnuts replace bad fats, like those in chips and cookies.
4. Avocados
Avocados are a rich source of monounsaturated fatty acids, which can lower both your total cholesterol and your “bad” cholesterol (LDL) while maintaining your “good” cholesterol (HDL) levels. They can also benefit insulin control, which can be very helpful to those with prediabetes or Type 2 diabetes.
5. Legumes
No heart-healthy list would be complete without legumes, which include all kinds of beans, lentils, chickpeas and black-eyed peas. Legumes help the heart because of their high levels of soluble fiber, which is known to lower both cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the bloodstream.
6. Chia seeds and Flax seeds
These seeds are a rich plant-based source of omega-3 fatty acids, such as alpha-linolenic acid. Omega-3s have many beneficial effects, such as helping to lower levels of triglycerides, LDL, and total cholesterol. They also reduce blood pressure and minimize the buildup of fatty plaques in the arteries. Omega-3s decrease the risk of disorders that can lead to heart attack, such as thrombosis and arrhythmias.
7. Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate is a rare example of a food that tastes amazing and is good for you (in moderation). Scientists now believe that dark chocolate has protective benefits against atherosclerosis, which is when plaque builds up inside the arteries, increasing risk of heart attack and stroke.
Dark chocolate seems to prevent two of the mechanisms implicated in atherosclerosis: stiffness of the arteries and white blood cell adhesion, which is when white blood cells stick to the walls of blood vessels.
What is more, studies have found that increasing dark chocolate’s flavanol content — which is the compound that makes it tasty and moreish — does not diminish these protective benefits.
8. Liver
Of all the organ meats, liver is the most nutrient-dense. In particular, liver is bulging with folic acid, iron, chromium, copper, and zinc, which increase the blood’s hemoglobin level and help to keep our heart healthy.
9. Nuts
Almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, pistachios, and walnuts are all heart-healthy nut options. These nuts are full of protein, fiber, minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants. Like fish and flaxseeds, walnuts are also ripe with omega-3 fatty acids making them a heart-healthy snack to have on the go.
10. Spinach
You can help to maintain a healthy heart rhythm by regularly consuming good sources of magnesium. Spinach is one of the best sources of dietary magnesium, and consumption of Popeye’s favorite food is associated with a raft of health benefits.
