Eating healthy foods for the heart and living a healthy lifestyle can keep you from the risk of developing heart disease and reduce the risk of death from heart disease.
Apart from consuming healthy foods for the heart, what is no less important is to avoid ready-to-eat and instant foods. Fast food that is rich in bad cholesterol can increase the risk of blockage of blood vessels which can lead to heart attacks.
To avoid the risk of developing heart disease, you need to adopt a healthy lifestyle, such as eating healthy food, exercising regularly, and not smoking. This can reduce the risk of developing heart disease by up to 82 percent. People aged 70-90 who usually live healthily can also reduce the risk of death from heart disease by 66 percent.
The Healthy Food Group
One of the healthy lifestyles that you can live is to eat healthy foods for the heart. So, what are the foods in question?
To nourish the heart and help it work strong, the phytonutrient compounds found in vegetables and fruit can be beneficial. These compounds help protect plants from germs, fungi, and pests. As for humans, these compounds can help the body work properly.
Here are some foods that contain phytonutrients.
Peanut
Eat lots of nuts, such as kidney beans, up to three cups a week. Besides being rich in phytonutrients that are good for the heart, nuts are also rich in fiber and water, making you full quickly. This can prevent you from consuming more calories. In addition, nuts are also rich in antioxidants which play a role in preventing cell damage due to exposure to free radicals which cause cancer, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's.
Whole grains
Consuming whole grains such as wheat, brown rice, or corn as the main source of carbohydrates, can reduce the risk of various diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, several types of cancer, and obesity. This is because these grains contain protein, fiber, antioxidants, B vitamins, and minerals. The minerals in question are iron, zinc, and magnesium.
Apple
Consuming 1-2 apples per day is believed to reduce the risk of heart disease. Apples effectively reduce bad cholesterol in the body and help regulate blood sugar. This is because apart from containing phytonutrients, apples also contain other compounds that are good for the heart, namely epicatechin. This substance is a compound that is rich in antioxidants and can help reduce blood pressure.
Garlic
Garlic is known not to affect blood pressure, so it can be consumed frequently. Garlic can also replace salt to add a savory taste to food. This is good for heart health, because the more salt consumption, the higher the risk of developing high blood pressure, which can trigger heart disease and stroke.
Wine
The benefits of grapes are thought to have the potential to prevent heart disease and hypertension or high blood pressure. This is because grapes contain fiber and flavonoids which are good for preventing heart damage.
Berries
Various berries such as blueberries, goji berries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries can be used as healthy snacks. Berries that are rich in fiber and antioxidants are thought to be able to reduce the chance of a heart attack. In addition, the sweet taste of the berries does not trigger diabetes. However, research on the effects of berries on protecting heart health still needs further study.
Green tea
Based on research results, those who drink more than five cups of green tea a day have about a 25 percent lower risk of dying from heart attacks and strokes. However, be careful when consuming green tea. Drinking more than five cups of green tea daily can increase the risk of developing kidney stones. Therefore, if you consume a lot of green tea, also increase your consumption of water to avoid dehydration so that the urinary system remains smooth.
Apart from eating healthy foods for the heart, you should limit your salt intake to no more than 5-6 grams per day or the equivalent of 2000-2400 mg of sodium (sodium) per day. Whereas for people who have a risk of heart disease, the maximum sodium consumption is 1,500 mg. You also need to exercise regularly and avoid smoking so that the body is healthy and the heart is always strong enough to pump blood throughout the body.