Heart Healthy Food for Maximum Cardiovascular Benefit

Heart healthy food is a must for any diet designed to maximize the function of your endothelium . Fruits and vegetables, fish, nuts, whole grains, and legumes are some of the foods that can help provide protection against cardiovascular disease and cancer. The following is a list of foods that will provide you with some valuable information for maintaining optimal cardiovascular health and endothelial function.

1. Fruits and Vegetables

2. Whole Grains

3. Fish and Seafood

Good News for Chocolate Lovers - Recent research has shown many positive benefits for the heart and vascular system from eating small amounts of dark chocolate and cocoa powder. Polyphenols are present in chocolate similar to those in tea, fruits, and vegetables. These polyphenols reduce the oxidation of cholesterol, which helps protect nitric oxide, thereby making dark chocolate and cocoa a heart healthy food.

Saturated fat, which normally you would want to avoid, is found in chocolate, however, the exact type of saturated fat - called stearic acid and palmitic acid - are innocuous, inert, and therefore not detrimental to your cardiovascular health. Carefully conducted research studies at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas found that stearic acid, unlike most other saturated fats, has a neutral effect on blood cholesterol levels and cardiovascular health. This type of saturated fat is simply removed from the body without causing damage.

A study at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School evaluated the properties found in cocoa. They presented their data at the American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in 2002, which showed that the antioxidants in cocoa actually appear to support nitric oxide synthesis. A study at the University of California at Davis looked at the effects of an antioxidant-rich cocoa drink in 30 healthy participants. The concluded in their study that the cocoa beverage reduced blood platelet activity and aggregation, similar to an aspirinlike effect, thereby lowering the risk of blood clotting. These results were published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2000.

Another study at Pensylvania State University had researchers give 23 men and women a diet containing half an ounce of dark chocolate and an ounce of cocoa powder. They concluded after four weeks that the dark chocolate/cocoa diet interfered with LDL cholesterol oxidation. The reduced oxidation rate was about eight percent slower than in the control group. There was a four percent increase in HDL cholesterol levels with this diet. These results were published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2001.

Most people prefer milk chocolate to dark chocolate because it is much sweeter tasting. Unfortunately, none of the antioxidants found in dark chocolate are present in milk chocolate because they are during processing. If you are someone who enjoys dark chocolate, it is important to use the concept of moderation, because it is high in calories. Try to eat no more than 120 calories per day of dark chocolate.

By adopting a heart healthy lifestyle, you are protecting the health of your endothelium, which will increase nitric oxide production. This will provide benefits for every system in your body, and you will reap many anti-aging benefits, as well. There are many heart healthy foods to choose from, and many resources available to determine the nutritional value of any food you may like.

Being well-educated on all health matters, and knowing what options are available is of utmost importance. There may be times when pharmaceutical medications are necessary, but you should always explore natural alternatives and supplements first. Our society has become accustomed to treating diseases and illness after we are afflicted, rather than taking steps toward their prevention. The key to health and wellness is to build our bodies up, through heart healthy food, exercise, and supplements, to the point where we don't need pharmaceutical drugs.

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