Heart-healthy foods are those that promote good cardiovascular health by supporting healthy blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and reducing inflammation. The following are some top heart-healthy foods and how to use them in recipes that make for tasty healthy meals.
Fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines and trout are rich in omega-3 fatty acids which promote healthy blood pressure levels and reduced inflammation which supports heart health.
Olive oil is high in monounsaturated fats which improves unhealthy LDL cholesterol while boosting the healthier HDL cholesterol, which in turn protects the heart. Another food that has these same qualities is avocados.
Vegetables have many heart protective properties. Take for example tomatoes. They are rich in lycopene and potassium, both nutrients needed to maintain healthy blood pressure. Sweet potatoes also support healthy blood pressure due to their abundance of fiber, potassium and other antioxidants.
I’d be remiss to not mention leafy green vegetables. Spinach, kale, swiss chard and collard greens are all rich in powerful antioxidants and in vitamins and minerals especially vitamin K and potassium. All these nutrients support heart health by keeping inflammation and blood pressure in check.
Keeping the bad LDL cholesterol in normal range, you need foods high in fiber. This includes whole grains such as quinoa, brown rice and oats.
Here are some heart-smart recipes that are delicious, nutritious, and packed with ingredients that promote cardiovascular health:
Salmon with Avocado Salsa
Ingredients
2 salmon fillets (preferably wild-caught)
1 TBS olive oil
1 ripe avocado, diced
½ of a small red onion, finely chopped
1 Roma tomato, diced
1 TBS fresh chopped cilantro (optional if you don’t like the taste)
1 TBS lime juice
½ TSP of red chili flakes (more if you like extra heat)
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°
Drizzle the olive oil over the salmon and salt and pepper to taste
Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until cooked though
While the salmon is baking, combine diced avocado, red onion, tomato, lime juice, cilantro and chili flakes. When the salmon is ready, top it with this avocado salsa.
The next recipe can be made, along with the one above, addding extra heart healthy ingredients to this meal.
Sweet Potato with Kale
Ingredients
1 large sweet potato boiled until just done. Set aside to cool
1 bunch of kale
2 garlic cloves thinly sliced
¼ TSP dried thyme
1 TSP olive oil
1 small lime, juiced
Salt to taste
Instructions
- Remove the skin from the sweet potato and cut into 1-inch pieces
- Strip the kale from the hard stems, rinse with a vegetable wash, drain, and return to a large pot. Cover with water. Bring to a boil, add salt, and cover. Turn down heat and cook for about 5 minutes until the leaves are and tender. Drain and run cold water to stop them from further cooking. Dice into bite size pieces.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced sweet potato, sauté until heated through, add kale, garlic and thyme. Cook for 5 minutes, then stir in the lime juice and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
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