5 Heart Healthy Foods to Add to Your Diet Today
Here are five foods to include in your diet to promote heart health.
1. Banana – Good source of potassium to promote a lower blood pressure.
2. Fish – Contains omega 3’s to prevent arterial plaque rupture.
3. Olive oil – Contains heart healthy monounsaturated fat to reduce the risk or coronary heart disease.
4. Garlic – Contains allicin to raise HDL, lower LDL, lower homocysteine, and lower blood pressure.
5. Walnuts – Rich is essential fatty acids, healthy protein, fiber, and phytosterols (compounds to decrease absorption of dietary cholesterol).
February is American Heart Month. In recognition of American Heart Month you can access Heart Health Made Easy at a 25% savings. Learn more about this take action guide to lower cholesterol and blood pressure at http://www.hearthealthmadeeasy.com.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Be Heart Healthy and Lose Weight
Thank you Lisa. I actually have added all of these this year, ecept the walnuts. I am doing almonds. I will try to add walnuts.
Walnuts may taste bland – but they really have more nutrients than other nuts. If you are not a big fish eater you can at least absorb decent amounts of the much needed omega 3 into your diet – as your body does not make this on it's own and it's 'essential'. (fatty acid).
Sounds like you're both doing well. FYI – The type of omega 3 in walnuts versus fish is different. More heart health links to fish, but don't rule out the benefits of walnuts. If you dislike fish I recommend discussing a fish oil supplement with you MD.
I eat tuna (as the only real fish I'll eat) about 2 or 3 times a week (on my salad or in a sandwich). Lisa – is that sufficient omega 3 intake for me per week? Thanks!
Tuna is nutritious and provides about ~0.5 g omega 3's per 3 1/2 ounces, although amount of omega 3 in canned tuna varies by type and whether it's canned in oil versus water. I'd continue to make tuna a part of your diet, but include additional sources of omega 3, whether that's via omega 3 rich fish (such as salmon) or a fish oil supplement (discuss all supplements with you MD).
Love them all except walnuts, just cannot eat walnuts
I do agree about walnuts – they taste like plywood. LOL – but I still eat them. I really can't stomach salmon, but was taking the Zone purified fish oil – which through much research, seemed to be one of the purest and popular fish oils out there. I believe flaxseed has omega 3 as well – sometimes I sprinkle the seeds on my salads.
I don’t like walnuts either .. for a while I ground them (using my coffee grinder) and would mix them in things that way but I haven’t done that for a while. I probably should start again. I am, however, allergic to bananas so I can’t eat those. I think kiwi is high in potassium, but I don’t eat those regularly enough to count.