More and more studies are determining how the foods we eat can positively affect cardiovascular health. Many people who want healthy hearts have turned to eating a heart-protective diet focusing on functional foods.
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Functional foods, recognized to have beneficial effects on health, are specifically known to contribute to heart health. Research has shown that individuals can reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) by eating specific amounts of the following types of functional foods: soy, oats, flaxseed, tea, nuts, grapes, fatty fish, and cholesterol-lowering margarines.
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Soy can reduce the risk of CVD when consumed as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Research suggests that soy may help prevent heart disease by reducing total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, and preventing plaque build-up in the arteries, which could lead to stroke or heart attack.
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The component of oats found to lower cholesterol is the soluble fiber beta-glucan. There are many mechanisms by which beta-glucan soluble fiber lowers cholesterol. The most common one cited is beta-glucan?s ability to bind bile acids in the small intestines, thereby increasing cholesterol excretion. It was also noted that oats may play a role in decreasing high blood pressure, another CVD risk factor.
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Flaxseed is not only rich in heart-healthy fiber, it?s also rich in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), and omega-3 fatty acid that may be helpful for heart disease.
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Tea contains natural antioxidants that may play an important role in maintaining optimal health. It has also been known to have beneficial effects on heart health by inhibiting LDL oxidation and decreasing the stickiness of blood, thereby reducing the risk of blood clots.
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A wide variety of nuts including walnuts, almonds, macadamia nuts, pistachios, pecans, peanuts, and hazelnuts have heart benefits. The cholesterol reduction associated with nut consumption has been attributed to the replacement of saturated fat in the diet with the monounsaturated fatty acids found in nuts. In addition, nuts are a good source of many other nutrients and plant chemicals (phytochemicals) that may enhance heart health. Nuts are also a rich source of the amino acid arginine, which plays a role in maintaining the health and flexibility of arteries.
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Fatty fish (mackerel, herring, sardines, salmon and tuna) and their oils are good sources of the omega-3 fatty acids, EPA, and DHA. One of the main heart-protective effects of fish oils appears to be their ability to reduce blood triglycerides. Eating one fatty-fish meal per day provides approximately 900 mg of omega-3 fatty acids which has been proven by studies to have a beneficial effect on mortality rates in patients with CVD.
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- Sterol- & Stanol- Enriched Margarine
Plant sterols and stanols, also called phytosterols, occur naturally in plants that can be found in foods like nuts, seeds, legumes, fruits, and vegetables. Plant sterols and stanols reduce the absorption of cholesterol in the lower intestines and thus lower serum concentrations of cholesterol, reducing heart disease risks.
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Since high cholesterol is one of the major controllable risk factors for coronary heart disease, it is important to ensure that your cholesterol levels stay within the normal range. TestCountry offers various instant and lab-based cholesterol test kits which you can use at the convenience of your home. Through regular cholesterol screening and monitoring, significant risk factors for heart disease can be promptly managed.
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Sources:
http://www.ideafit.com/fitness-library/healthy-heart-foods
http://www.webmd.com/diet/functional-foods-8/functional-foods-for-heart
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Source: http://www.testcountry.org/functional-foods-for-heart-health.htm
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