7 foods for a healthy heart

7 foods for a healthy heart


Heart diseases are emerging as an increasing health concern due to our unhealthy lifestyle. A balanced diet and regular exercise helps in keeping heart diseases away. Here are some of the foods that you should add to your diet for a healthy heart

Green leafy vegetables: vegetables like spinach, methi (fenugreek), radish leaves and lettuce are extremely low in fat, calories and high in dietary fiber. They also contain folic acid, magnesium, calcium and potassium. These minerals are beneficial for the optimum functioning of the heart.

Tomatoes: tomatoes are a good source of vitamins and acts as a blood purifier. Regular consumption of tomatoes is known to reduce the risk of heart diseases. Add tomatoes to your salads and sandwiches or have them cooked.

Apples: apples contain quercetin a plant pigment with anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It also helps in prevention of blood clots. Add sliced apple to your breakfast cereal or have it as a snack.

Almonds: almonds when eaten in moderation are known to lower cholesterol levels in the body and thus prevent heart diseases. They also contain vitamin b17, e and minerals like magnesium, iron, and zinc and are a good source of monounsaturated fats. Add almonds to your cereals or have 7-8 almonds a day to keep your heart healthy.

Walnuts: walnuts are packed with mono-saturated fats and help lower bad cholesterol (ldl) and increase the good cholesterol (hdl) these are also rich in omega-3 fats. Munch on a handful of walnuts daily to give your heart a boost of good health.

Garlic: consuming raw garlic every day can help to reduce the production of bad cholesterol (ldl), increase the production of good cholesterol (hdl) and also keep blood pressure within normal limits. Have 1-2 cloves of raw garlic daily to reap the benefits.

Ginger: ginger is believed to be capable of preventing formation of clots, improving blood circulation and lowering ldl cholesterol levels. Make ginger a part of your daily cooking. You can add it to tea or lemonade also.