HEART-FRIENDLY FOOD 3 : LEGUMES
Legumes , which include different types of beans , chickpeas , lentils and peas , have been found to promote heart health because they are very high in potassium , protein and fibre .
• Potassium helps to reduce high blood pressure .
• Furthermore , legumes are also high in protein , which means they can replace red meat in your diet in your diet which has been linked to a high risk of heart disease .
Legumes can be added to soups , stews and salads and even puréed into a sandwich spread .
FOOD TO AVOID : PROCESSED MEATS
Processed meats are meats that have been modified to either improve taste or extend their shelf life . Unfortunately , a high intake of processed meats can affect your heart health .
• Processed meats are high in sodium and this can increase blood pressure
• Processed meats are also high in saturated fats , which can increase the levels of LDL cholesterol .
• Additionally , processed meats can also cause inflammation . This can increase the risk of heart disease by causing the growth of plaque and blood clots
Remember : Heart-healthy foods shouldn ’ t be eaten in isolation but rather as part of a balanced diet .
References
• http :// www . heartfoundation . co . za /
• https :// academic . oup . com / ajcn / article / 107 / 4 / 523 / 4964644
• https :// openheart . bmj . com / content / 5 / 2 / e000775
• https :// www . mayoclinic . org / drugs-supplements-folate / art-20364625
• https :// www . ncbi . nlm . nih . gov / pmc / articles / PMC4321000 /
• https :// www . health . harvard . edu / blog / love-those-legumes-2018102515169
• https :// www . who . int / elena / titles / potassium _ cvd _ adults / en /
• https :// bmcpublichealth . biomedcentral . com / articles / 10.1186 / s12889-019-6653-0
• https :// www . ncbi . nlm . nih . gov / pmc / articles / PMC6526229 /
• https :// www . ncbi . nlm . nih . gov / pmc / articles / PMC5293238 /
• https :// www . heart . org / en / healthy-living / healthy-eating / eat-smart / fats / trans-fat
• https :// www . health . harvard . edu / heart-health / targeting-inflammation-a-missing-link-in-heart-treatments
• https :// www . cochrane . org / CD003177 / VASC _ omega-3-intake-cardiovascular-disease
• https :// www . amjmed . com / article / S0002-9343 ( 16 ) 31058-0 / pdf
• http :// www . heartfoundation . co . za / heart /
Bonitas Member Magazine Issue 3 | 2021
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