Valentine's Day - Think Food for Your Heart
Eat These 10 Superfoods for a Healthy and Happy Heart
Feb 13, 2009
Nutritionists at Australia’s CSIRO Preventative Health Flagship have launched a Healthy Heart Program that offers 12 weeks of advice on food and exercise, including menu suggestions featuring the top 10 heart supportive foods.
“Valentines Day is a great day to begin looking after your heart as well as your sweetheart,” says co-author, Dr Peter Clifton.
“The Program aims to win you over to a healthy lifestyle with a 12-week eating and exercise plan and delicious recipes to get you started. Start it today with someone you love.”
Change Eating Habits to Avoid Heart Disease
Cardiovascular disease kills about one Australian every 10 minutes and prevents 1.4 million people from living a full life because of disability caused by the disease, Dr Clifton says. The statistics are similar in other developed countries.
Women, in particular, need to be aware of heart disease as it is the greatest cause of death and disability in women. Despite a lower incidence, coronary heart disease-related mortality and the percentage of sudden deaths from coronary heart disease without previous symptoms is higher than for men.
“In most cases these tragedies can be prevented simply by modifying eating habits and lifestyle choices,” Dr Clifton says.
Developed in Australia, the Healthy Heart Program is suitable for people anywhere in the world who want to have healthy hearts, he says.
“Many of us know we could be a lot healthier but want to be motivated to do something about it. The program can get you excited about giving yourself a better chance to be healthy and stay healthy over the long-haul.”
Top 10 Foods for a Healthy Heart
- Fish, especially fatty fish high in Omega-3 – reduces inflammation, reduces blood clots, lowers triglycerides
- Oats and whole grains – B vitamins and soluble fibre; oats have been shown to lower LDL cholesterol
- Beans, lentils – soluble fibre helps lower LDL cholesterol; potassium and magnesium lower blood pressure, good amounts of protective folate
- Nuts and seeds – protein, Vitamins E and B, mono and poly unsaturated fats help lower cholesterol
- Broccoli and cabbage – high levels of antioxidants, soluble fibre
- Garlic – high levels of vitamin C, allicin lowers blood pressure, reduces LDL cholesterol
- Grapes and other fresh fruit – rich in flavonoids, lower blood pressure and reduce free radical cardiac muscle damage
- Lean protein: chicken, beef or pork – helps reduce weight and build muscle
- Foods with added plant sterols and stannols (margarine, dairy products, orange juices) – lower triglycerides and LDL cholesterol
- Alcohol, especially red wine, in moderation – antioxidants, especially resveratrol, prevent the build-up of plaque in the arteries.
Five Tips For Heart-healthy Diets
While the Healthy Heart Program outlines a 12 week plan to reduce the risk of heart disease, it’s possible to manage your cardio risks with basic commonsense. Here are five tips for heart healthy diets:
- Reduce processed and packaged foods, especially ones high in fats, sodium and sugar
- Cut back on red meat – vegetarian meals based on beans, lentils and whole grains can replace meat three or four times a week
- Eat a wide variety of fruit and vegetables a day (try to meet the 5 servings of vegetables and two of fruit)
- Have four meals of fish a week
- Drink alcohol responsibly
See also: Choose a Heart-healthy Lifestyle
Ways to Eat more Fruit and Vegs
Why Garlic is Good for your Health
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