7 Fruits and Vegetables to Boost Your Heart Health

Fruits and vegetable constitute an important part of our diet, giving us not only major minerals and vitamins, but also providing us the energy to survive throughout our daily activities.

A new study, presented at the meeting 'Nutrition 2019' in the Baltimore Convention Center, has claimed that sufficient consumption of fruit and vegetable may lead to reducing the risk of heart disease and strokes each year.

Fruits and vegetables are good sources of potassium, magnesium, fiber, antioxidants and phenolics that help in potentially reducing blood pressure and cholesterol, providing her a healthy heart. Fresh fruits and vegetables also improve the diversity of good bacteria in the digestive tract.

Here is a list of fruits and vegetables that can potentially boost the heart health:

Berries: Berries are jam-packed with antioxidants like anthocyanins, which protect against the oxidative stress and inflammation. In addition, berries are also rich in heart-healthy phytonutrients and soluble fiber, making the life of our heart longer.

Broccoli: A good source of lutein (an antioxidant), vitamin C and E, potassium, folate, calcium and fiber, broccoli can potentially lower the cholesterol levels and prevent heart diseases.

Asparagus: A natural source of folate, beta-carotene and fiber, asparagus help in preventing an amino acid named homocysteine from building up in the body, saving us from an increased risk of heart conditions, like coronary artery disease and stroke.

Spinach: Spinach is known to be a rich source of magnesium, which helps in maintaining a healthy heart.

Tomatoes: Being a rich source of lycopene, a natural plant pigment with powerful antioxidant properties, vitamin C and alpha- and beta-carotene, tomatoes neutralize harmful free radicals, providing a better heath to the heart.

Carrots: Other red, yellow and orange veggies such as carrots, sweet potatoes, red peppers and acorn squash are packed with carotenoids, fiber and vitamins, which help in keeping the heart healthy.

Flaxseeds: Being a source of omega-3 fatty acids, fiber and phytoestrogens, flaxseeds boost the heart health, if taken in ground or milled form.