There are many factors that go into caring for your heart health. Eating a healthy diet, exercising, not smoking, limiting alcohol, and trying to reduce stress when you can are all good for your heart.
Having things like high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, and high cholesterol all can put you at a higher risk of heart disease and other heart-related complications. While this may sound overwhelming, luckily there are steps you can take to help lower your risk. For example, you can work to lower your cholesterol by talking to your doctor about changing your diet and including healthier food in your daily routine.
More information on how Fruit can help you lower your cholesterol, and for more healthy eating tips be sure to check out The #1 Best Vegetable for Heart Disease.
Oranges are not only delicious and good for your immunity, but apparently they’re also great for your heart health.
“oranges are a filling fruit that contain important nutrients for heart health without added sugars,” says medical board member Lauren Manaker, MS, RDNauthor of The new mom’s pregnancy cookbook Y Feeding Male Fertility. “Looking specifically at orange juice, observational studies have shown associations between adults who consume Orange juice and significantly lower levels of total and LDL cholesterol, with men having a 23% lower risk of having low HDL concentrations, compared to non-consumers. Starting your day with a serving of 100% orange juice can go a long way toward maintaining healthy cholesterol levels.”
Watermelon is a refreshing way to start the summer season and, according to dietitians, can be helpful for lower cholesterol as well as.
“Watermelon is a popular fruit that is a fantastic addition to a cholesterol-lowering diet,” says Manaker. “Watermelon naturally contains lycopene, a carotenoid that has been shown to remove free radicals, thus possibly preventing elevated cholesterol levels. Drinking watermelon juice can be a refreshing way to pack a host of important nutrients, including lycopene, into your day, especially if you replace drinks with added sugars.”
or do you love prunes or hate them. But if you’re a prune lover, you may be helping your heart health in more ways than one.
“According recent dataonly 50 grams daily prunes (5 to 6) significantly increased HDL (good cholesterol) in postmenopausal women, as well as reduced inflammation and increased antioxidant activity,” says Manaker. ways to enjoy these good-for-you fruits.
An apple a day can really keep the doctor away, or at least give you some useful nutrients.
“apples they are particularly high in pectin, which is a soluble fiber that can bind to cholesterol in the digestive system, where it carries cholesterol to the liver for elimination,” says Morgyn Clair, MS, RDNauthor in fit healthy mom.
berries They are one of the best fruits to lower cholesterol due to their fiber content and useful antioxidants.
“Berries contain a ton of antioxidants,” says Clair. “They help protect ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol from oxidation in the body and thus protect against its harmful effects.”