The following list comes from a list of the 100 healthiest foods for women. Check out the list
here. I'm sure men can use this list too. I don't see how it would hurt them by doing so.
The following foods can help strengthen your cardiovascular system and help to prevent heart disease and stroke! This sounds like a good idea to give these foods a try.
- Canola oil: According to this web site, the FDA claims that canola oil is good for the heart. Canola oil is made up of 93% of healthy unsaturated fats and only %7 of saturated fat; that's the lowest saturated fat percentage of any edible oil! It also contains no cholesterol and trans fat. So when you cook, substitute canola oil for the oil you usually use.
- Skinless poultry: Lots of the fat in poultry can be found in the skin. Not consuming the skin makes your meal more heart-healthy.
- Egg substitutes: Less fat in the eggs = a healthier heart. And if you just don't like egg substitutes, don't eat the yolk, just eat the whites! Personally, I don't like egg substitutes and don't like to eat only egg whites; what's the point? According to Harvard Health Publications, there was no connection found between egg consumption and heart disease! However, this does not mean you can eat eggs without abandon. Eating an egg a day should be alright. I obtained this egg information from Prevention.com, cabbage may be able to "reduce heart inflammation that can lead to blocked arteries." To get the most out of your cabbage, eat it raw.
- Onions: According to BBC News, onions "were shown to help prevent the chronic inflammation which can lead to thickening of the arteries." Don't like onions? It's okay! You don't need to consume a lot to reap its benefits! Consuming around 100g to 200g of onions has a bigger impact than consuming a large amount of onions.
- Grapes: Medical New Base reports that this sweet little fruit can help lower blood pressure! An experiment done at a University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center showed that grape consumption "turned on glutathione-regulating genes in the heart and significantly elevated glutathione levels." Glutathione is an antioxidant protein that defends "against damaging oxidative stress," which occurs when one has high blood pressure and can lower the amount of glutathione. So if you've got high blood pressure or are prone to having high blood pressure, eat your grapes!
- Raspberries: Berry Health Benefits Network reports that this red little berry contains anthocyanins that work as an antioxidant that protects the heart against heart disease. This red berry also contains heart and circulatory disease fighting "antioxidants such as Vitamin C, quercetin and gallic acid." Eat your raspberries people!
How much of these foods are you consuming regularly?
Comments (8)
why..if only
would you come to my house and bring all of these. lol
I eat basically all but the onions. I'm not a big onion fan. However, I do not mind them cooked in a soup of some sort. Wait, I take that back. I like the blooming onion from Outback, but I haven't had one in years! I think that would defeat the purpose anyway.
Great post. Thanks for sharing!
I love everything on this list, so I guess I'm doing pretty well! Except the egss, I kinda like them whole.
I eat everything except for the chicken. I don't eat poultry... I love salmon though. Don't forget about its health benefits! I eat egg substitute because I have an intolerance to egg yolks.
I eat a lot of onions - caramelized or raw, really. And grapes, and skinless poultry almost every night for dinner.
No canola oil, though. Olive oil, usually. :P
we only have extra virgin olive oil at home so.. no canola oil. i don't take poultry but i have plenty of raw/cooked fish/seafood from time to time. love eggs! but i seldom eat them scrambled, mostly soft/hard-boiled for benefits. grapes - all the time and organic grape juice as well. and raisins. onions only in salads or sandwiches or ABC soup. raspberries, love them! but they stain everywhere red.. i eat them when they're in season =)
i have canola oil in my margerine at my house, but i think that margerine is really bad for your heart, so i dont think those two really work together :/ oh well, i eat tons of grapes ;D