Eating healthy foods is key to maintaining good arterial and blood vessel health. When you don’t have a balanced diet, you run the risk of facing problems of obesity or high cholesterol and, as a consequence, cardiovascular conditions.
The Spanish Heart Foundation defines cholesterol as a natural fatty substance present in all cells of the human body and which is necessary for its normal functioning. However, it is possible that its excesses generate plaques on the walls of those ducts through which blood is transported, putting heart health at risk.
These plaques in the arteries are called atherosclerosis, and diseases related to this condition are one of the leading causes of death, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
This condition develops slowly, as cholesterol, fat, blood cells, and other substances in the blood form a plaque, which when builds up causes narrowing, reducing the supply of oxygen-rich blood to the organs. tissues of the vital organs of the body.
allied fruits of the heart
Within the framework of a healthy diet, there are foods that in a special way would help to avoid this condition. One of them is the tangerine. According to researchers at the University of Western Ontario (Canada), this fruit contains a substance called nobiletin, a type of flavonoid that not only prevents obesity, but also protects against type 2 diabetes and atherosclerosis.
The study, carried out with mice, confirms that this component acts against the accumulation of plaque, which considerably reduces the chances of suffering a myocardial infarction or a cerebral stroke, according to the Spanish Heart Foundation.
Lemon is another fruit that would help remove plaque from the arteries, thanks to its richness in vitamin C. It is an antioxidant food that reduces high blood pressure and inflammation, according to this study conducted by the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) and quoted by the magazine Better with Health.
it
This food is associated with cardiovascular benefits, such as lowering blood pressure or cholesterol. In addition, thanks to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacity, it would contribute to reduce the risk of arterial plaque formation, the aforementioned source specifies, which clarifies that all the evidence available to date is derived from the use of garlic supplements and not from the presence of the food as such in the diet.
Blue Fish
This type of protein is part of the Mediterranean diet and is a food rich in polyunsaturated fats such as oleic, linoleic and Omega 3 fatty acids, which reduces bad cholesterol levels, lowers blood pressure and the risk of thrombosis due to accumulation of fat in the arteries.
Avocado
This fruit, in addition to providing vitamins and minerals, is an important source of unsaturated fats, especially oleic acid, says the portal Know how to live, from Spain. According to this website, animal experiments have shown that it improves the contraction and relaxation of the arteries, that is, it gives these blood vessels flexibility, which is lost as arteriosclerotic disease progresses. because these ducts become more rigid.
Legumes
Consuming these foods three or four times a week helps reduce blood lipids or fats, thanks to the fact that the Dietary fiber that they have binds to cholesterol molecules and helps to drag and eliminate them so that they do not accumulate or are absorbed in excess.
cruciferous vegetables
Vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower or arugula are favorable for caring for the health of the arteries. A study published in the journal The British Journal of Nutritionconcludes that this type of food is beneficial for the heart.
The research found that people who ate more cruciferous vegetables had less calcium buildup in their aortas (the largest blood vessel in the body), compared to people who ate less of these vegetables. Fatty deposits in the arteries attract calcium and the buildup is known as calcification, the portal says. Digital Health.