Heart disease is a very real, although often silent killer. However, it’s also preventable. Switching to a heart healthy diet is a first and crucial step in protecting your heart.

Happy heart

It’s a well-known fact that heart disease is often linked to unhealthy lifestyle factors. Some of these factors include smoking, lack of exercise, bad food choices, being overweight and having a high body mass index (BMI) with fat concentrated around the waist. The good news is that almost all of these factors can be controlled and prevented. The best place to start is by taking a serious look at what you eat every day and switching to a heart healthy diet.

The following foods are considered the top heart smart foods:

    • Oily fish: Oily fish such as sardines, pilchards, tuna, mackerel and salmon are packed with good fats that help lower cholesterol levels and prevent blood clotting. Oily fish are good sources of dietary protein, B vitamins and calcium, which are all important for lowering the risk of heart disease.
    • Meats: Meat that is lean, organic and from grass-fed, free roaming animal sources are most beneficial for heart health.
    • Nuts and seeds: Heart healthy nuts include walnuts, almonds, peanuts, pecans, cashews and macadamias. Walnuts are rich in healthy fats that lower cholesterol levels and prevent blood clotting and they also contain fibre and vitamins A, C and E and macadamias contain high levels of oleic acid. Seeds such as pumpkin, sesame and flax are other heart healthy options.
    • Healthy fats: Vegetable oils are heart healthy. Choose olive oil with its cholesterol lowering effects that help slow down the onset of heart disease. Other suitable sources of fat include avocado, peanut and coconut oils. However, be sure to choose organic oils without genetically engineered ingredients.
    • Oats: Rolled oats, oatmeal or oat bran has a cholesterol-lowering effect due to its soluble fibre content.
    • Dairy and eggs: Dairy provides protein, B vitamins, calcium and other minerals your heart needs. Choose the lower fat options. Cheese is filled with heart healthy omega-3 fats, calcium, vitamin D and vitamin K2. Organic eggs laid by free-range hens are good sources of the “complete” proteins that contain all of the essential amino acids needed to keep your heart healthy.
    • Berries: Berries offer heart health benefits due to their fibre and vitamin A, C and E content.
    • Avocado: This fruit reigns supreme as the queen of all fruits. This wonder fruit is low in fructose (sugar) and rich in healthy monounsaturated fat, potassium, fibre, vitamin E, B-vitamins and folic acid. It can be used as a substitute for butter and is also one of the safest, conventionally grown fruits you can buy as the thick skin protects the inner fruit from pesticides.
    • Plant-based food: Fresh organic leafy greens, vegetables, legumes and other plant-based foods are excellent for your heart and your overall health. Eat as much as you like but consume at least 30 to 50% in a raw format.

 

Sources

Top ten heart smart foods. Retrieved from: http://www.heartfoundation.co.za/topical-articles/top-10-heart-smart-foods-0
Mercola, J. 2011. Eat animal foods for a healthy heart. Retrieved from: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/10/29/why-are-vegetarians-at-risk-of-heart-disease.aspx
Mercola, J. 2015. Thirty healthiest foods of all time. Retrieved from: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/04/13/30-healthiest-foods.aspx