Increased cholesterol is the main reason for increasing heart attacks. We heard you ask for the cure for it. Simple. Concentrate on having a healthy heart diet. A term called bad cholesterol sticks to your blood vessels which creates fatty deposits there. It causes the narrowing of blood vessels that directly increases the risk of a stroke or a heart attack.
But, a healthy heart diet can curb this risk. A good lifestyle, normal eating habits, and no smoking or alcohol are the basic things to follow. Following a healthy heart diet is the best way to control cholesterol. Following a good diet along with some physical activity is beneficial for cardiac health.
Here Are 7 Tips for a Healthy Heart Diet:
1. Eat less cholesterol-inducing foods:
The recommended cholesterol intake is less than 200 mg per day. Delicacies of animal origin like livers, organ meats, and shrimp have cholesterol in them. Egg yolks and dairy products too carry cholesterol in them. A healthy heart diet would suggest having these items in a moderate quantity to ensure not exceeding the amount of recommended cholesterol intake.
2. Compensate with fibrous food:
Food that contains fiber can be counted on the list of healthy heart diets. Fiber that entices water and makes it into a gel during the digestion process is favorable for the body. Some foods that come into this category are:
- Oats: Oats in any form are considered fibrous materials.
- Fruits: Some fruits which provide us with fiber are apples, pears, bananas or oranges have an extensive amount of anti-oxidants and fiber in them to curb cholesterol.
- The pea family: Chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans or peas, lima beans, or black-eyed peas are rich in fibrous materials.
3. Less salt:
One more way to a healthy heart diet is to limit salt. Again a recommendation. Not more than one tablespoon of salt should be eaten in a day. In milligrams, it is 2300. Sodium or salt intake should be limited to the said quantity only. Lessening salt doesn’t directly help in reducing cholesterol, but it keeps you away from cardiac issues like heart strokes or heart diseases. Low salt helps to decrease blood pressure. A way to adapt to less salt is consuming no added salt or low salt seasonings on the food when preparing it.
4. Low alcohol:
To follow a healthy heart diet, a watch on the quantity of alcohol is necessary. Alcohol increases your bad cholesterol levels and decreases your good cholesterol levels. Resulting in heart issues. More alcohol increases your blood pressure and triglyceride levels. A small glass of wine, a single beer, or a single drink of hard drink won’t harm. Quantities that exceed this are of trouble. Men can have two drinks of alcohol a day. While women can have one drink of alcohol in a day. Not more than that. Exceeding quantities give results as mentioned before.
5. Have fish rich in omega 3:
There are some fish rich in fatty acids omega-3 as they won’t decrease bad cholesterol. On the contrary, they increase good cholesterol levels. It’s a perfect way to follow a healthy heart diet. Fishes that have these properties are salmon, tuna, and mackerel. Consume them twice a week. It prevents blood clots and inflammation of the heart. The risk of heart attacks is also reduced. Study other fish which are good for health and if possible eat them too. It also depends on the availability of it, but try to include them in the diet at least twice a week.
6. Have cholesterol-friendly foods:
Some foods help you not increase cholesterol. Oats, beans, and nuts are some of them. Vegetable oils that help decrease low-density lipoprotein (LDL) are a boon. Using butter or lard is harmful to the heart. Instead use oils like sunflower, canola, or filtered groundnut oil. Also, be in a habit of cooking with less oil. Lesser the oil, the better the heart health. Eggplant, okra, citrus fruits, and soy also give the advantage of maintaining low cholesterol levels. Fatty fish helps lower cholesterol levels and are allowed to be consumed at least 2 to 3 times a day. These are way better than eating red meats or meats which have high cholesterol properties.
7. Foods extremely good for the heart:
Green leafy vegetables, berries, walnuts, beans, avocados, and fatty fish and oils are some of the best foods to consume. Also, tomatoes, dark chocolate, and almonds are very good sources of lowering cholesterol levels. Garlic and some seeds are also an add-on. The properties present in garlic have good cholesterol capabilities which keep the heart healthy. This is a precious list of foods. If consumed these there’s very less chance of you suffering from any cardiac ailments. Hereditary cases are exceptional. In general, fruits rich in fibrous materials and green vegetables are good. Green vegetables contain iron and zinc which improve heart health and purify blood.
Conclusion:
There is never-ending research on this topic. The more food items found that are good for heart health, the better it is for people. People should follow the mentioned items to lead a healthy life. Lower salt and alcohol consumption will lead to a positive change in the body. The recommended amount of both is good for the body. Our brain gets stimulated by a normal alcohol level and can think better, only if the recommended amount is followed. Losing control of alcohol and salt levels will cause cardiac issues and an unhealthy lifestyle.
