“My heart is beating; it keeps on repeating." I am sure you all remember this famous song. Our hearts do this act of beating throughout our lives. The heart begins to function right away when we are just a group of cells in our mother’s womb. It is the first organ formed in the body. Apart from the environmental factors and mental factors, what affects our hearts the most is the food we eat.
Let us take a look at which are the functional foods for a healthy heart. Read on to know more!
Dr. Gloria Gilbere says in her book ‘When Food Becomes Your Enemy’ that “When we eat food devoid of enzymes through cooking or processing, digestion is compromised, and food becomes toxic as it ferments and decomposes as a toxic composite in the body. “
Now you may ask, how to avoid toxic food?
The answer lies in functional foods. These are the foods that contain additional functions, often related to health promotion or disease prevention, by adding vital ingredients to our bodies. These foods are potentially beneficial in the prevention and management of heart disease, which remains one of the leading causes of death around the world.
Here we list 11 Effective Functional Foods for a Healthy Heart
Soybean
Soybeans are good for the heart. A study suggests that soy provides the body with isoflavones that help to lower blood pressure. Isoflavones encourage the body to produce more nitric oxide, which dilates the arteries and lowers the blood pressure.
Soybeans are also a good source of protein and fiber which helps to reduce the LDL levels as compared to animal proteins. A 2014 study concluded that eating Soy based foods can help to lower LDL cholesterol by 3% in middle-aged Cardiovascular Disorder (CVD) patients.
Oats
Oats are among the most recommended foods for heart health as well as weight management. Oats contain soluble dietary fiber in the form of beta-glucan. It slows down the digestion of food and reduces sugar absorption. This helps with weight reduction. The soluble fibers in oats bind to the excess cholesterol and help in excreting it through feces. Thus, oats are among the most effective functional foods for a healthy heart as they have blood cholesterol-reducing properties.
Psyllium
Psyllium husk comes from the seeds of the herb Plantago ovata. It is also sometimes referred to as ispaghula or isabgol. It is a soluble fiber supplement usually used to treat constipation. It binds to excess cholesterol and reduces total blood cholesterol levels.
According to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, psyllium husk is also known to lower LDL cholesterol levels as well as two other lipid markers for heart disease. Its action is similar to that of soluble fibers. Psyllium also gives strength to the heart muscles.
Flaxseeds
Flaxseed or linseed is one of the richest plant sources of omega-3 fatty acid or alpha-linolenic acid.
Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of unsaturated fatty acid that reduces inflammation throughout the body. They decrease triglycerides, lower blood pressure, reduce blood clotting, decrease the incidence of stroke and heart failure risk, and reduce irregular heartbeats. Apart from flaxseeds, these omega-3 fatty acids are also found in fish and, to some extent, in almonds and walnuts. Learn about the benefits of walnuts here!
Garlic
Garlic produces a sulfur-containing compound called allicin when it is crushed or chopped. Allicin is responsible for the protective effect of garlic on atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). This has been attributed to its capacity to reduce lipid content in the arterial wall. Allicin also suppresses LDL oxidation in the body and prevents blood clot formation. Hence, using garlic regularly in your diet is a great choice for maintaining a healthy heart. It is best to have garlic in raw form, as most of this compound gets destroyed during cooking.
Green tea
Green tea contains certain polyphenolic compounds called catechins, mainly in the form of epigallocatechin gallates (EGCG). Studies have concluded that green tea catechins and EGCG have a beneficial impact on factors affecting cardiovascular health. These help in inhibiting platelet aggregation, improving the lipid profile, reducing blood pressure, increasing anti-oxidant activity, and reducing the levels of inflammatory substances. Thereby exerting an overall cardio-protective effect. Catechins prevent LDL oxidation as they help fight free radicals. These compounds also aid in weight loss and maintenance.
Grapes
A simple seasonal fruit, grapes contain polyphenols. Experimental studies have shown that grape polyphenols reduce atherosclerosis by maintaining arterial health. Thus, including grapes in your diet keeps your heart healthy.
Black pepper
Black pepper contains the active compound piperine. It has potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It is also considered a natural painkiller as it reduces pain perception and inflammation. Piperine also helps in improving the absorption of other essential nutrients and compounds, including curcumin (up to 20 times). Curcumin is the main active ingredient in turmeric, which improves heart health by improving endothelial functioning and by its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Piperine is also believed to have cholesterol-lowering properties in itself, but further human studies are needed to conclude this. Though it has been proven that it increases the absorption of cholesterol-lowering supplements, The above properties of black pepper make it a functional food for heart health and reduce the incidence of cancer.
Oregano
A Mediterranean herb containing quercetin, which is now widely used in India in pizzas and pasta. Quercetin in oregano has a cardioprotective effect by exerting its anti-oxidant action. This reduces inflammation in the body and thereby improves blood circulation.
Fenugreek Seeds
Commonly known as methi dana in India. These are great sources of soluble fibers. Fenugreek seeds soaked overnight and consumed first thing in the morning helps reduce cholesterol. Soluble fibers in these seeds bind to the excess cholesterol and remove it from the system.
Tomatoes
A fruit commonly used in Indian cooking plays an important role in protecting heart health. Tomatoes contain a red carotenoid called lycopene, which is a strong antioxidant. It can reduce free-radical damage, total and LDL cholesterol, and increase HDL (good) cholesterol. Research has shown that maintaining high blood levels of lycopene reduces the risk of premature death in people with metabolic disorders, which can lead to heart disease. Studies have shown that the inclusion of tomatoes in the diet of heart patients significantly improved their lipid markers and heart functioning. Moreover, tomatoes are a rich source of vitamin C, which is a great antioxidant and reduces internal toxin buildup.
Conclusion
Apart from including the above foods in the diet, one should eat a balanced diet with a good number of fresh fruits and vegetables, exercise regularly, and maintain a healthy weight. When you consume the above-mentioned effective functional foods for a healthy heart, you will certainly have added health benefits. Let us know in the comments below of any other functional foods you may know to maintain a healthy heart function.
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