Healthy Eating For A Healthy Heart

At such a time as this, when obesity rates are at an all-time high, with heart disease other obesity-related complications rife, it is ever so important that we pay particular attention to our diets. Healthy eating should, at least in part, promote a healthy heart and superior health, with a reduced incidence of heart disease.

Our diets, even the best ones around, contain fats and salt. Bad diets tend to contain more fats, particularly the saturated ones, which predispose one to raised blood cholesterol. This a is a risk factor for heart disease. The more obese one is or the more saturated fats one consumes, the higher the risk heat problems. Add to this high salt intake, which leads to raised blood pressure, further compounding the heart problems due to obesity, and you have a recipe for health disaster.

It is now evident that our diet can contribute to a poor heart. The reverse also holds true. Our diet can promote good health and healthy hearts. Healthy eating is part of the answer. To help prevent heart disease and improve your health,
put the tips below to good use.

Choose Healthy Fats And Oils

As you know, saturated fats increase the risk of heart disease. The most common source of saturated fat in our diet is in meat and milk and milk products. Some plant products like coconut oil also contain saturated fats. Avoiding or limiting the intake of fatty foods will help keep your blood cholesterol levels under control. You’d do well to cut off the visible fat off meat to make your meals healthier.

Consume Plenty of Fiber

Most people know that fiber is important for a healthy digestive system. Not lot of people don’t know that fiber, especially soluble fiber, can bind to cholesterol and help to eliminate it from our bodies. Fruits and vegetables are a good source of fiber. Soluble fiber also helps with good blood sugar control helping to prevent or treat diabetes. Diabetes is one of the most important risk factors for heart disease.

Choose Low Glycemic Index Carbohydrates

Sugar is a carbohydrate and it is energy-dense, which can contribute massively to weight gain. Therefore, avoiding sugary foods and other high glycemic index foods is a step in the right direction. Low glycemic index carbohydrates help you stay full for longer and don’t raise the blood sugar levels too quickly. All this helps o control your weight and reduces the risk of heart disease. Getting most of your carbohydrates in the form of whole grains is the best way to have carbohydrates work for your heart.

Employ Healthy Cooking Methods

Healthy eating is not just about healthy ingredients. It also involves healthy food preparation methods. Baking, steaming and stir-frying are some of the best cooking methods for healthy meals. Ingredient preparation, which includes removing fatty and unhealthy bits from meat, is also crucial. Skinless chicken is healthier than chicken with skin because the skin contains a lot of saturated fats. Some cooking methods, like steaming vegetables, helps to retain a lot of the nutrients within the food.

As change your eating habits, for healthier ones, your overall health improves, along with heart health. The more healthily we eat the better the outlook for our hearts. Let’s all eat for our hearts and reduce the score of over-weight and obesity steadily stalking our society.