Along with regular exercise and avoidance of stress, it is also very important to eat and drink the right foods and beverages to keep your heart healthy. Here are some of the best foods for maintaining heart health. These foods have been extensively researched by experts in the field and are a must-have for everyone.
Coffee
Surprised? There are a variety of studies and recommendations on coffee, including studies that claim coffee beverages are harmful to health and studies that claim they are good for your health. But according to the American College of Cardiology, coffee may help reduce the risk of arrhythmia, heart disease, and stroke.
Chocolate
Dark chocolate not only reduces stress but is also heart-healthy. One study conducted by researchers at the University of Scranton showed that eating a few ounces of dark chocolate daily lowers bad cholesterol. And that’s not all.
Another researcher found that cocoa contains phenols. Phenols reduce the risk of heart disease by preventing fat-like substances from oxidizing in the blood and clogging arteries.
Almonds
Vitamin B2, vitamin E, magnesium, and zinc all help make a handful of crunchy almonds good for your heart and mood. Vitamin B and magnesium help produce serotonin, which helps regulate mood, while zinc has also been shown to fight some negative effects of stress, and vitamin E is an antioxidant that destroys free radicals associated with stress and heart disease.
Fish
The new study found evidence that omega-3 fatty acids found in seafood reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Tufts University scientists found that in high enough quantities, the omega-3 fatty acids from fish chewed through cholesterol molecules in the bloodstream and shrank the size of remaining LDL particles by 12 percent.