8 Heart Healthy Foods you should be eating this Summer

Do you question what foods are best during the Summer when reaching in the pantry for a snack or preparing dinner for the family?  These eight foods are a great choice for your heart health!

Avocados – Provides heart-healthy monounsaturated fat.

Tomatoes – Good source of lycopene, an antioxidant that helps protect cells from damage and also may help lower bad cholesterol.

Oily Fish (Salmon, Tuna, or Herring) – The American Heart Association recommends having oily fish twice a week, which lowers the risk for fatal heart disease

Dark Leafy Greens – Provides fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Fresh Fruit – Lowers blood pressure, as well as keeps you hydrated on hot summer days.

Dark Chocolate – Good source of flavonol, which relaxes arteries and increases blood flow causing lower blood pressure. However, it must contain 70% cocoa.

Nuts (Walnuts, Pistachios, and Almonds) – Provides Omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, Vitamin E, and folate, all of which promote healthy hearts.

Veggies (Broccoli, Cauliflower, and Brussel Sprouts) – Broccoli contains calcium which is reduces blood pressure. Cauliflower is high in fiber, and contains allicin, which lowers the risk of heart attacks and reduce cholesterol. Brussel Sprouts reduce inflammation in the cardiovascular system and improve blood vessel health.

Sources:

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/summers-bounty-top-5-healthy-foods-for-your-heart/

https://www.prevention.com/health/a20502183/best-foods-for-heart-health/

Find out more on heart healthy food by doing your own research and checking your facts. Enjoy your Summer and may your heart always be healthy!