Heart Healthy Foods to Add to Your Diet

• March 20, 2017
• cardiologist in Jaipur
• Cardiologist

Big changes start with small steps. These days, the incidences of heart failures and heart conditions in younger people have increased phenomenally. A lot of this can be attributed to the lifestyles followed. Small changes in your routine however, can help make a big difference to your heart health and life.

Adding a few heart healthy foods to your diet are not just good for your heart, but also for your waistline. In fact, if you add certain foods to your daily intake, you can significantly lower the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.

Competent cardiologists in Jaipur can tell you that a whole foods diet can benefit you a lot in the long run. Such a diet would include a number of healthy foods that are good for your heart, like whole grains, fish, fruits, and vegetables. And to reward yourself, you could even have a glass of red wine or some dark chocolate. Here’s a list of some healthy foods that you can swap into your diet:

Snacks

Whenever you wish to snack between meals, remember these tips to make a healthy difference to your diet:

• Healthy nuts like walnuts or almonds are good for the heart and will also satisfy your hunger.
• Spinach has a lot of benefits, so switch the lettuce in your salads and sandwiches for some spinach.
• Fruits that are rich in fiber, magnesium, potassium, and beta-carotene, like papaya, cantaloupes and oranges also make good snacks.
• Fresh broccoli, dipped in hummus, is also an amazing healthy and delicious snack and is rich in a lot of nutrients like fiber, calcium, folate,potassium,vitamins C and E, etc.

Breakfast

Some days, a switch in your breakfast habits can help you begin the day in a healthier manner. Here are a few of the good options:

• Berries are full of hearthealthy phytonutrients and fiber. Try addingraspberries, cranberries, strawberries, orblueberries to your cereal or yogurt in the morning.
• Flaxseeds have omega-3 fatty acids and fiber that help boost heart health.
• Oatmeal has always been a nutrient powerhouse, as well as a great comfort food.

Meals

The main part comes in when we talk about the main meals like lunch and dinner. Just because you want to eat healthy, doesn’t mean you have to compromise on taste. There are a lot of flavorful and healthy recipes available online. Here’s what you should be eating: –

• Fish that is high in omega-3s, like tuna, salmon, mackerel, trout,andherring.
• Dark beans are high in B-vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
• Vegetables that are yellow, red, or orange, like carrots, red peppers, and sweet potatoes, are full of vitamins, carotenoids, and fiber. This includes tomatoes, even if it is counted as a fruit.

Rewards

A good diet regime deserves rewards time and again:

• A glass of red wine (4 ounce) per day can help improve the HDL levels in your blood
• Dark chocolate is also rather good for the heart, as long as it has at least 70% cocoa

Your heart health is in your hands and only you can take the steps towards a healthy heart. Minor changes in diet and physical activities can make big difference in your overall well-being.