These days, there is so much available information concerning heart health that it feels as if you shouldn’t so much look at a cream cake.
As with many other elements in life, a healthy balance is key and with this in mind, read on to learn about the best food and drink to strengthen your heart and regulate your blood pressure.
Bananas
The humble banana contains a plethora of vitamins and minerals to benefit every part of your body, including your brain and is also one of the recommended fruits to consume should you be looking to maintain or lower your blood pressure.
By far the best nutrient for heart health is potassium and bananas contain a healthy dose, meaning that a banana every couple of days sprinkled on your porridge or cereal will go a long way.
Other healthy nutrients in bananas include protein, magnesium and fiber.
Indian Dishes
Whether you are a passionate home cook or simply view cooking as a means to an end, next time you are doing your weekly grocery shop, come prepared with a list of ingredients to create tasty Indian dishes.
There are a number of benefits to incorporating more Indian food into your diet, especially dishes from reputable and authentic Bristol Indian restaurant urban-tandoor.com, including the following:
- Anti-inflammatory properties
- Higher energy levels
- Healthier and more efficient digestion
- Stronger and denser bones
- A reduction in blood pressure and a generally stronger heart
Dark Chocolate
Great news for chocoholics is that a couple of squares of rich, dark chocolate with a high cocoa count will not only boost your body’s levels of magnesium, iron, manganese, potassium and fibre, but it can even help to bring your blood pressure down to an acceptable level.
Furthermore, dark chocolate is also associated with a reduced risk in the individual of developing cardiovascular disease.
Porridge
Next, not only is a warm bowl of porridge the ideal breakfast to start your day (it was good enough for Goldilocks, after all) due to the main ingredient being oatmeal, but porridge is also a great way of ensuring your heart receives enough fiber, whilst keeping both your salt and your sodium levels to a minimum.
For extra healthy heart points, choose a porridge containing wholewheat oats, which will also afford you a plethora of antioxidants, with either type of oat working to improve your blood sugar levels, improve the appearance and condition of your skin and help your digestive system.
Blueberries & Blackberries
All fruits contain different beneficial properties, with the berry family being the largest provider of an array of different vitamins, minerals and nutrients.
Blueberries and blackberries, in particular, contain fiber, as well as being excellent sources of polyphenols, the latter being a core component of all plant-based foods. Polyphenols can also increase your body’s resistance to insulin, improve your lipid profiles, and are directly linked with overall heart, lung and brain health, too.
