Cardiovascular diseases are the first cause of death in the world: it is estimated that 17.7 million deaths are attributable to cardiovascular diseases each year in the world, or 31% of total global mortality.
Our current way of life hurts our hearts. In question ? Physical inactivity, stress… but also food. And for good reason, the foods we eat can promote the development of cardiovascular illnesses.
To have a healthy heart, it is not enough to guard against risk factors. It is also necessary to take care that one swallows! Among the foods to avoid? Simple sugars, alcohol or tobacco are bad for your health in general and for your heart health especially. Another enemy of a healthy heart? Bad fats – or trans fats – easy to spot by scrutinizing the composition: hydrogenated vegetable oils, partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, vegetable fat, vegetable margarine are to be banned! Logically, we also avoid saturated fats – that is to say lipids made up of saturated fatty acids -!
The harm of all these bad fats? Consumed in excess, saturated fatty acids long chain:
- promote the formation of atherosclerotic plaque on the walls of the arteries (they are said to be atherogenic),
- cause a blood clot to form,
- promote an increase in cholesterol levels in the blood.
It is advisable to monitor your consumption of refined sugar and sodium (the main sources of which are prepared and pre-packaged foods).
What foods to eat to have a healthy heart?
- Oily fish: salmon, trout, herring, anchovies, sardines, mackerel
Their advantage? Their omega 3 content, whose virtues for heart health have been highlighted by scientists. The consumption of oily fish has a positive impact on the level of triglycerides in the blood and lowers blood pressure.
They too constitute a good source of omega 3 and, in fact, a particularly interesting alternative for followers of the vegetarian diet. If this is our case, we also think of favoring vegetable oils rich in omega 3 such as rapeseed, linseed or cold-pressed olive oil…
- Leafy green vegetables: spinach, green cabbage, broccoli, watercress, arugula, salad, Swiss chard, kale, etc.
Their advantage? Vitamin K good for heart muscle health. The proof ? Vitamin K deficiency increases the risk of heart disease. They also contain antioxidants, carotenoids, protectors of our cardiovascular system.
To say that dark chocolate is the ally of good cardiovascular health is an understatement! His secret? Flavonols – powerful antioxidants – and vitamin B3 which, combined, promote the elasticity of blood vessels, correct blood pressure, the reduction of bad cholesterol levels in the blood… To take advantage of all these benefits, one imperative: choose dark chocolate containing at least 75% cocoa!
- Red fruits: strawberries, cherries, blueberries, pomegranates
Rich in antioxidants, red fruits thus help to fight against the aging of cells and arteries but also to improve the resistance of the cardiovascular system by thinning the blood.
It contains omega 9, a fatty acid known to raise good cholesterol levels.
According to a British study1, the consumption of these small red berries – also called cranberries – helps to promote the dilation of the arteries and to improve the blood flow to the heart (a slowed flow being a factor of cardiovascular accident). But no impact linked to the consumption of cranberries on heart rate or blood pressure could be observed.
With moderation ! Drinking alcohol to keep your heart healthy? The recommendation may seem crazy and yet … The resveratrol contained in red wine is a molecule recognized for its cardioprotective properties. In moderation and once in a while, we say yes to a small glass of red wine!
Thanks to the presence of antioxidant polyphenol, green tea is also cardioprotecteur. Several studies have highlighted the role of polyphenols in the prevention of cardiovascular illnesses and risk factors illness, such as blood pressure.
- The Mediterranean diet
More generally, adopting the Mediterranean diet is a very good way to take care of your heart. An important Spanish study2 – conducted on nearly 7,500 people for 5 years – thus demonstrated that this diet reduced the cardiovascular accidents in those whose heart is already sick! The “secret” of this diet? A diet low in saturated fats, rich in omega-3s and antioxidants: we do not hesitate to adopt the precepts of this diet.
1. Daily consumption of cranberry improves endothelial function in healthy adults: a double blind randomized controlled trialStudy by King’s College London published in Food & Function.
2. Estruch R, Ros E, Salas-Salvadó J et al. Primary prevention of cardiovascular disease with a Mediterranean diet. N Engl J Med. 2013;368(14):1279-90.
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