Nutrition

Heart Healthy Foods

"Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food."
~Hippocrates

Oats: Fiber and Omega-3 fatty acids.  Fiber binds cholesterol in the gut and blocks its reabsorption.

Dark Chocolate: Reservatrol and cocoa phenols (flavonoids).
A truffle a day lowers blood pressure, but choose 70% or higher cocoa content.

Salmon: Omega-3 fatty acids.

Almonds/Walnuts (unsalted & raw): Plant omega-3 fatty acids; vitamin E; magnesium; fiber; heart-favorable mono- and polyunsaturated fats; phytosterols.

Brown Rice:  B -complex vitamins; fiber; niacin; magnesium, fiber.

Red Wine:  The studies supporting red wine suggest antioxidants in red wine called polyphenols help protect the lining of blood vessels in your heart. These antioxidants come in two main forms: flavonoids and nonflavonoids. (Mayo Clinic)

Reservatrol might be a key ingredient in red wine that helps prevent damage to blood vessels, reduces "bad" cholesterol and prevents blood clots.

Spinach:  Lutein (a carotenoid); B-complex vitamins; folate; magnesium; potassium; calcium; fiber.

Tea:  Catechins and flavonols (flavonoids).  Catechins are antioxidants and polyphenols.  They have been shown to also reduce atherosclerotic plaques in animals.

•  Flavonoids. These antioxidants are found in a variety of foods, including oranges, grape juice, apples, onions, tea and cocoa. Other types of alcohol, such as white wine and beer, contain small amounts, too, but red wine has higher levels.
• Nonflavonoids. These antioxidants found in red wine have recently been of particular interest because they appear to help prevent arteries from becoming clogged with fatty blockages. However, these studies mostly involved mice — not humans. Reservatrol is the nonflavonoid that's received the most attention from researchers.

Olive Oil:  Reduces your risk of heart disease.  Olive oil contains monounsaturated fat, a healthier type of fat that can lower your risk of heart disease by reducing the total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or "bad") cholesterol levels in your blood. (Mayo Clinic).

Herbs versus salt and spices:  Less sodium to no sodium and more flavorful!