The best foods for your heart
Eating well has long been known to protect us from numerous health woes. New research shows that 50 per cent of heart disease can be prevented with good food choices. While red wine, green tea and oatmeal may be the well-known foods to protect the heart, these lesser known ones work just as well to safeguard your ticker.
Fatty fish
Tuna, salmon, mackerel and sardines contain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which lowers the risk of arrhythmia (irregular heart beat) and atherosclerosis (plaque build-up in the arteries), as well as decreasing decrease triglycerides, an important measure of heart health.
Onions
The flavonoids in onions lower cholesterol, stop arteries from hardening, help the elasticity of blood vessels and maintains healthy blood pressure.
Potatoes
Filled with kukoa-mines that help lower blood pressure, potatoes also provide 20 per cent of your daily potassium, which again helps manage high blood pressure. Potatoes can be included in a healthy diet but the key is eating in moderation and not deep-frying them, mashing with lots of butter, or topping them with high-calories cheese or sour cream.
Citrus foods
Oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and limes are filled with flavaonoids that help lowers blood pressure and reduce artery inflammation. It also contains the plant chemical hesperidin that improves blood flow to the heart.
Brown rice
A whole grain rich in dietary fibre, eating brown rice will help reduce the build-up of arterial plaque and reduce the risk of heart disease and high cholesterol.
Dark chocolate
A 2012 study found daily consumption of dark chocolate (made up of at least 60 to 70 per cent cocoa) reduced non-fatal heart attacks and stroke in people at high risk of heart disease. Dark chocolate contains polyphenols, which helps blood pressure, clotting, and inflammation.
Image credits: Getty Images