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By: Chef Derrick Purcell Message from the Chef: It’s true: Eating foods that contain the right nutrients can help to strengthen your heart. By choosing foods that are high in fiber, “good” fats, or certain vitamins, you can lower your cholesterol, reduce your risk of heart attack, improve your blood pressure – and lose weight, too. Just get more of the four nutrients listed here, and start eating your way to a healthier heart! 1. Fiber: Lowers Total Cholestorol, Helps Control Weight There are two types of dietary fiber: insoluble and soluble. Most plant foods contain both types of fiber in varying amounts. Insoluble fiber is found in high amounts in wheat bran and other whole grains. Soluble fiber forms a gel in water that helps to bind acids and cholesterol in the intestinal tract, preventing their reabsorption into the body. This may be why soluble fiber helps to lower cholesterol levels (and decreases the risk of heart disease) and also maintains steady blood sugar (glucose) levels. Soluble fiber is found in oats and oat bran, barley, brown rice, beans, apples, carrots, and most other fruits and vegetables. Fiber-rich foods tend to be bulky and lower in fat and calories. In addition to helping reduce cholesterol, these foods help with weight control—another heart benefit—because they're naturally filling, and they're chewy, so they take longer to eat. This will make you less likely to overeat. For the greatest health benefits, both the FDA and the National Cancer Institute recommend that adults get 25 to 30 g of fiber each day. Most Americans consume just a third to a half of this recommended amount. The smartest way to increase your fiber is to eat a variety of fiber-rich foods, including fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains. Try to eat these foods as close to their natural state as possible (that includes keeping skins on fruits and vegetables where possible), since a lot of fiber gets lost through processing (including juicing). Dried fruits are good because they offer concentrated fiber compared with their fresh counterparts. See "Best High-Fiber Foods" (below) for some specific foods with lots of fiber.
2. Healthy Fats: Lower "Bad" Cholesterol Monounsaturated fats may actually help to raise levels of HDL (good cholesterol) while reducing levels of LDL (bad cholesterol). Olive oil can also help decrease the risk of blood clots because it contains squalene, a substance that has anticlotting properties. Good sources of monounsaturated fats include olive oil, canola oil, avocados, avocado oil, olives (be careful, though, since these can be very high in salt), and high-oleic (a fatty acid that is lower in omega-6, is light tasting, and can stand up to high cooking temperatures) safflower and sunflower oils. Polyunsaturated fatty acids can be classified into omega-6 fatty acids and omega-3 fatty acids. These essential fatty acids help reduce blood pressure and aid in the prevention of arthritis, among other things. Americans eat too much omega-6 and too little omega-3, so it's important to find a healthier balance between them.
Eat less of these: Sources of omega-6s include corn, safflower, sunflower, cottonseed, soybean, peanut, sesame, grape seed, borage, and primrose oils.
Eat more of these: Excellent sources of omega-3s are mackerel, herring, salmon, fresh tuna, and sardines. Good sources include trout, shellfish, flaxseed oil and flaxseed, canola oil, walnut oil, walnuts, and Brazil nuts. If you have high cholesterol, see your doctor about changes in the recommended levels of dietary fat you should consume. According to the National Cholesterol Education Program's updated clinical guidelines, people with high cholesterol should get 25 to 35% of their total calories from fat. Of total calories, less than 7% should be from saturated fat, up to 10% should be from polyunsaturated fat, and up to 20% should be from monounsaturated fat. A higher intake of total fat, mostly in the form of unsaturated fat, can help to reduce triglycerides and raise HDL cholesterol in persons with high cholesterol.
3. B Vitamins: Decrease Homocysteine Levels There are three B vitamins that play an important role in protecting your heart. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) helps protect against heart disease by reducing the level of homocysteine (a protein that can injure the walls of the coronary arteries) in the blood. It also promotes the formation of red blood cells and the production of antibodies. Foods rich in vitamin B6 include avocados, bananas, carrots, chicken, eggs, liver, nuts, peas, pork, potatoes, salmon, spinach, sunflower seeds, tuna, walnuts, and wheat germ. Vitamin B12 works with folic acid to regulate red blood cell formation. Good food sources of B12 include dairy products, eggs, fortified soybeans and soy products, herring, mackerel, meats, milk, seafood, and sea vegetables (including dulse, kelp, kombu, and nori). Folate also decreases homocysteine and is needed for the formation of red blood cells. Foods rich in folate include asparagus, barley, bran, brown rice, cheese, chicken, chicory, dates, leafy green veggies, lamb, legumes, lentils, milk, mushrooms, oatmeal, oranges, root veggies, salmon, seaweed, split peas, sunflower seeds, tuna, wheat germ, and whole grains and whole wheat.
4. Antioxidant Vitamins: Reduce Artery Plaque Build-up The antioxidant vitamins C, E, and beta-carotene (vitamin A) have been shown to reduce cardiovascular risks and plaque build-up in the arteries. Foods containing the most vitamin C are asparagus, avocados, beet greens, berries, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cantaloupe, citrus fruits, leafy green vegetables, mangoes, papayas, potatoes, red and green bell peppers, spinach, and tomatoes. Good sources of vitamin E include avocados, brown rice, canola oil, cereals and breads made with 100% whole grain, eggs, extra virgin olive oil, leafy green vegetables, legumes, milk, nuts, oatmeal, seeds, soybeans, and wheat germ. Foods rich in vitamin A include egg yolks; green, yellow, and orange fruits and vegetables, including apricots, asparagus, beet greens, broccoli, cantaloupe, collards, dandelion greens, kale, papayas, peaches, red bell peppers, sweet potatoes, watercress, and yellow squash. Best High-Fiber Foods: With delicious foods like those listed below, there’s no reason why getting more fiber in your diet needs to be unpleasant! All of the following are excellent sources of fiber.
*Cereals* High-fiber breakfast cereals are a quick and easy source of fiber. Try Fiber One (14 g of fiber), 100% Bran (13.5 g), All Bran with Extra Fiber (13 g), Kashi Go Lean (10 g), Kashi Good Friends (8 g), Quick Quaker Oats (8 g), Shredded Wheat Spoon Size (5 g), or Puffed Kashi (2 g).
*Fruits* Fiber is usually concentrated in the skin and outer layer of the fruit, so opt for fruit with edible skins and seeds. Try one kiwifruit (5 g), pear (4.5 g), orange (4 g), or apple (2.5 g); 1 cup of blackberries (7 g) or raspberries (6 g); or two figs (4 g).
*Vegetables* Vegetables with edible skins are the best high-fiber choices, but almost every vegetable has decent fiber content. Try 1 cup of winter squash (6 g), kale (5 g), broccoli (4 g), spinach (4 g), carrots (3.5 g), cauliflower (3 g), or green beans (3 g).
*Breads* Those with the most fiber are made from whole grain flours; check the ingredients list. Brands to look for include The Baker (4 g of fiber per slice), Branola (3 g), Matthews (2 g), The Vermont Bread Company (2 g), and Thomas' Honey Whole Wheat or Oat Bran English Muffins (2 g per muffin).
*Beans and legumes* The following are all tops in fiber (per ¼ cup, uncooked): kidney beans (10 g), chickpeas (7 g), lentils (4.5 g), and split peas (4.5 g).
*Snacks* Try 2 oz of fat-free tortilla chips (8 g), 3 ½ cups of air-popped popcorn (4.5 g), or dried fruit (amount of fiber varies, but generally its high).
 Chef’s Healthy Corner:
Its true eating healthy is very important in fact; 1 Corinthians 6:9 states your body is a temple for the Holy Spirit it does not belong to us. We have to have the mentality that our bodies do not belong to us. Our good health depends on many things, foods, lifestyles, mental, health, attitude and environment. The guideline below can be very helpful if followed. ~ Eat a variety of fresh healthy foods ~ Maintain a healthy weight (Ask your doctor what a healthy weight would be for you) ~ Use sugar and salt only in moderation (Never exceed your daily sodium intake (season and taste food as you are cooking, never add raw salt to food) ~ Avoid alcoholic beverages especially in the heat. ~ Choose a diet low in fat, saturated fat and cholesterol (If you are unsure read the product labels) ~ Eat plenty of fresh vegetables, fruits, and grain products.
** Note: If you need a special diet please ask your doctor to refer a dietitian. GO BACK TO HOME PAGE | |
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