Nourish Your Heart This Summer: 7 Foods to Activate "Heart-Protective" Mode

Introduction: What's good for heart health in the summer? Summer belongs to the element of Fire, which corresponds to the "Heart" in the body, so nourishing the heart becomes a key point of summer health care. So how to nourish the heart in summer? The following 7 foods can cleverly eliminate "junk" and protect the heart from damage.…

1. Spinach

Spinach is rich in folic acid. Studies have shown that taking folic acid can reduce the risk of developing heart disease by 25%. Spinach contains a large amount of oxalic acid, which can hinder calcium absorption. It is best to blanch it in boiling water before eating.

2. Oats

Oats are rich in linoleic acid and B vitamins, which can prevent the formation of atherosclerotic plaques in the arteries. In addition, because oats contain a large amount of water-soluble fiber, they can lower blood cholesterol levels. Therefore, regular consumption of oats can balance the diet, provide balanced nutrition, and prevent hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. Oats can be cooked with water or milk, and you can also add nuts or fresh fruits to make it both nutritious and delicious. In addition, eating whole wheat bread has the same effect.

Black Rice and Oat Porridge

3. Nuts

Nuts such as almonds and peanuts are rich in amino acids and unsaturated fatty acids that are beneficial to the heart and can reduce the risk of heart disease. Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health surveyed a group of survivors of heart attacks. The latest survey report found that eating 1/3 cup of dry beans daily can reduce the probability of a second heart attack by 38%. Almonds, pecans, and peanuts all help protect the heart, but only a handful (about 42 grams) should be eaten per day; do not overeat.

4. Green Tea

Green tea is extremely rich in nutrients, the most notable of which is tea polyphenols. Research has found that tea polyphenols can lower the levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood, and have effects such as preventing atherosclerosis, lowering blood pressure and blood lipids, and preventing thrombosis. Because tea polyphenols are not heat-resistant, they should not be brewed with boiling water; warm water brewing can better exert their health benefits. In fact, besides green tea, other types such as black tea, scented tea, oolong tea, white tea, yellow tea, and dark tea (Pu-erh tea) also have the effect of lowering serum cholesterol and triglycerides.

5. Carrots

The carotene in carrots can be converted into vitamin A, which keeps blood vessels clear and prevents stroke. Carrots need to be stir-fried with oil to allow the carotene to be truly absorbed by the body.

Blood Orange and Carrot Juice

6. Soybeans

Soybeans contain various essential amino acids and unsaturated fatty acids for the human body, which can promote the metabolism of fat and cholesterol in the body and keep the cardiovascular system clear. When eating, in addition to processing soybeans into soy milk, tofu, or douchi, you can also make soybean rice. When cooking rice, first soak the soybeans in hot water for more than 4 hours, then change the water and add rice to cook. This can dissolve the polysaccharides in soybeans that are easy to produce gas, avoiding bloating.

7. Fish

Fish contains less fat and saturated fatty acids than most meats. Especially for sea fish, their ω-3 fatty acid content is higher, which can increase the "good" cholesterol in the blood and help clear the "bad" cholesterol. Studies have shown that this fatty acid can also reduce the risk of stroke, which is one of the reasons why countries and peoples with high consumption of sea fish have a low incidence of stroke. It is best to steam sea fish to maximize the protection of its nutrients from being destroyed.

Lemon and Herb Pan-Seared Cod