There are many foods that work hard in reducing your risk of heart disease and early death. In no particular order they are:
Fish
It is the omega-3 fats in fish that appear to offer protection to the heart. The fish with the highest omega-3 levels are the cold water fish. Those that are particularly high are salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, sardines and pilchards. All of these are available as tinned fish.
Seafood such as prawns, lobster, calamari, oysters and mussels are not a big concern with heart disease. They provide some omega-3 fats and their cholesterol is unlikely to be affecting the risk of heart disease.
It is recommended that we eat two or three fishes serves per week.
Vegetables
Our vegetable intake is generally very poor. This is unfortunate as vegetables are a very good source of fibre, antioxidants and folate, which all work towards reducing the chance of heart disease and cancer. It is best to cook vegetables quickly to retain the maximum amount of nutrients; therefore steaming and microwaving are ideal cooking methods. Frozen vegetables are also a very good source of nutrients, and often more convenient than fresh vegetables, especially when there only one or two people in the household.
It is recommended that we eat five or more vegetables serves (about 3 cups) per day.
Legumes/oats
The fibre in legumes (eg baked beans, kidney beans, lentils) and oats (eg porridge, raw muesli) is a viscous fibre, which has the ability to bind to bile in the intestines. This bound bile then passes through the intestines rather than being reabsorbed into the blood and recycled. As bile is manufactured from cholesterol, more cholesterol has to be converted to bile, thereby lowering blood cholesterol levels.
Legumes are also a very good source of folate, along with green vegetables, wholegrain cereals, Vegemite and Marmite.
Although there is no recommended intake of legume or oats, I suggest that you include them regularly in your diet, especially if your blood cholesterol is elevated.
Fruit
Fruit can help prevent heart disease with its fibre, antioxidants and folate. The vitamin folate has been promoted to women during pregnancy because it reduces the risk of a child being born with neural tube defects. It is less well known that folate is linked to lowering the risk of heart disease, as well as stroke and dementia. Bananas, strawberries and oranges are the best fruit sources of folate.
It is recommended that we eat two or more fruit serves per day.
Nuts
Nuts may be working in many ways to reduce heart disease risk. They contain fibre, antioxidants and the vitamin folate. They are also a good source of arginine, and amino acid that is converted to nitric oxide, a powerful compound that relaxes blood vessel walls. The fats in nuts are mainly monounsaturated, so they do not clog the arteries.
Although we do not know which nuts provide the most protection, it can be assumed that peanuts are high on the scale (and that includes peanut butter).
It is recommended that we eat 120 g unsalted, raw (or dry roasted) nuts per week.
Tea
As a drink tea has been around for millennia, first as green tea, then as black tea. Black tea is just green tea that has been fermented for longer. The antioxidants in tea have been linked to a significant reduction in heart disease. It does not seem to matter if milk and sugar are added to the tea.
Unfortunately we do not have much data on coffee or herbal teas, although we can assume they contain antioxidants and probably provide some heart protective compounds. Whether they are as effective as tea, we don't know.
Although there is no recommended level of tea intake, I suggest that up to six cups a day is a reasonable intake.
Alcohol
For a long time it was assumed that alcohol was bad for you. Now we appreciate that a small amount of alcohol seems to be reducing our risk of early death. The alcohol in alcoholic drinks could be reducing the risk of blood clots inside our arteries.
The antioxidants in red wine and dark beers could also be reducing the oxidation of LDL-cholesterol.
It is recommended that we drink no more than two standard drinks a day.
Chocolate
Research over the last decade shows that the cocoa antioxidants in chocolate reduce LDL oxidation and blood clotting. The antioxidants are found in the cocoa mass (the part that gives chocolate its colour), therefore there are more antioxidants in dark chocolate than milk chocolate. There are none in white chocolate.
Although there is no recommended level of chocolate intake, I suggest that 50 g a day is reasonable if you are active and eat well.
The bad news
There are foods that raise blood cholesterol levels, especially the dangerous LD-Lcholesterol. These foods are generally high in saturated fats, which may be both animal and vegetable in origin. They include:
- Fatty meats and fatty processed meats (lean meat is OK)
- Dairy fat (choose lower fat types eg low fat yogurt)
- Butter and cooking margarine (but not monounsaturated and polyunsaturated marg) *Vegetable fats found in commercial biscuits, cakes, pastries and takeaway foods.
- Make every effort to keep saturated fats to a minimum.
Summary
If we eat well, don't smoke and regularly exercise (including the activity performed at work), then we can reduce our risk of early heart disease and stroke by around 80%. This is a very wise investment in your body.
And despite what some might be thinking, it is never too late to start. The benefits begin to return in the first month.
Of course, this means that you will need to save enough money to finance all those extra healthy years of life you have given yourself!
Article Author: Glenn Cardwell, Calico Dietician