Which cereals are good for the heart and blood vessels — Top 5
People who are prone to diseases of the cardiovascular system are recommended a certain set of foods that are useful for them.
And cereals occupy almost the first place in this list: cereals are not only safe, but also extremely useful and available for daily consumption.
Cereals can be boiled in water, broth and with the addition of milk. Depending on this, they are seasoned with spices, herbs or cooked with meat, fish, seafood, mushrooms and even nuts. Ingredients such as vegetables, fruits and honey are added to them, and casseroles, cutlets, puddings and even pies are prepared on their basis.
Which of them have the most positive impact? The answer is below.
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TOP 5 cereals for Heart Health
We present to your attention a rating of 5 types of cereals that have the most beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system.
1. Oatmeal
Oatmeal is used both in the form of whole grains and in the form of flakes of varying degrees of grinding.
Porridge from this grain is valuable because during digestion:
- It maintains the desired blood sugar level for a long time, preventing hunger, which means it helps to get rid of excess weight and prevent diabetes mellitus;
- It reduces the level of harmful cholesterol well , strengthens the walls of blood vessels.
In one study, conducted among middle-aged Chinese residents, compared two groups of people. The first group consumed 100 grams of oatmeal for breakfast every day. She was compared with the second control group, which consumed 100 grams of whole-grain noodles. At the end of 6 weeks of the experiment, the level of bad cholesterol in the first group decreased significantly compared to the second.
Adherents of a healthy lifestyle even cook a popular dish in its various variations lately &8212; oatmeal without adding flour at all, which is very useful for those who are prone to metabolic diseases and heart diseases.
2. Rice
Rice &8212; is a one-of-a-kind grain product containing angiotensin II &8212; a substance that reduces protein levels in the blood. Moreover, it is contained in the shell of the grain
The introduction of this cereal into the diet helps to prevent:
- Hypertension;
- Atherosclerosis.
3. Buckwheat
This is the most favorite cereal in the territory of the former USSR. Buckwheat has a lot of advantages that help to avoid health problems of the cardiovascular system:
- Low calorie content and ability to help in weight loss;
- Reducing blood sugar levels, preventing diabetes;
- Active participation in hematopoiesis, due to the high iron content;
- The ability to fight atherosclerosis.
The taste qualities of buckwheat are so high that very simple and literally healing dishes are prepared on its basis. For example, dry cereals are simply poured with boiling water and wrapped overnight. By morning, a full-fledged ready-made buckwheat porridge is obtained.
Advocates of a healthy lifestyle pour dry cereals with just warm kefir at night and also consume them in the morning as a full-fledged cereal dish in order to improve health and prevent cardiovascular diseases.
4. Millet
This is also a very popular grain. It is better to choose it by color: the yellower the millet, the tastier the porridge will be.
The main advantages of millet dishes are similar to the advantages of other cereals, but still differ:
- Millet noticeably improves metabolism , which means it helps to reduce weight, which makes it easier for the heart to work;
- It lowers cholesterol levels ;
- It has a high potassium content , which is needed for normal pressure and strong and clean vessels.
Millet, cooked with water or milk, is perfectly combined with almost all other products suitable for dietary nutrition of cores.
5. Corn
Corn porridge is made only from crushed grain. But this does not prevent it from being extremely useful for the work of the heart and maintaining vascular health.
Corn contains a lot of potassium, magnesium and fiber, so corn porridge is good because it:
- Slows down the absorption of fats and carbohydrates , therefore , with its regular use , the normal blood sugar content is maintained;
- Antioxidants and selenium this cereal helps to maintain the youthfulness of the heart muscle and prevents many specialized diseases;
- Reduces the risk of hypertension several times.
What else are porridges useful for — 10 properties
Cereals should rightfully occupy the main place on the table of a modern person who wants to have not only a healthy heart, but also to preserve the vigor of the body as a whole until old age. Well-cooked porridge is both food, medicine, and a treat.
- Provide energy. Porridges are primarily “slow” carbohydrates that provide energy without dulling consciousness.
- Cleanse the body. Boiled in unsalted water, they perfectly cleanse from toxins: 2-3 fasting days spent on such a product make the intestines active and the skin clean.
- Eliminate constipation. Cereals have a lot of fiber, which means that being on the table every day effectively eliminates constipation.
- Are cancer prevention. Regular consumption of any whole grains reduces the risk of developing cancer by 15-25%.
- Contain vegetable protein. Wheat, buckwheat and oatmeal porridges contain a lot of vegetable proteins, which makes them simply indispensable in baby food, vegetarian and lean cuisine.
- Are suitable for allergy sufferers. Corn, rice and buckwheat, like any food, can sometimes cause allergies, but they are the most low-allergenic, they can be consumed by children as complementary foods from the very first months of life and people with asthma and allergies.
- Contains many important minerals. Diets and diets based on cereals are considered the easiest and most beneficial for the body, since cereals are the main source of important minerals for the body. These include, for example, Mediterranean cuisine, where cereals take pride of place.
- Helps to lose weight. Despite the high calorie content, porridges are good for getting rid of excess weight, as they reduce appetite and cleanse the body of toxins. However, in this case, they can not be flavored with sugar and butter, but you need to add spices such as turmeric, cinnamon or ginger. For people prone to obesity, they can be combined with vegetables and served as a side dish to meat and fish dishes.
- Are good for digestion. Semi-liquid viscous porridges are indicated for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, so gluten gently envelops the walls of the stomach and relieves pain from gastritis and ulcers.
- Have practically no contraindications. Harmful cereals practically do not exist, but porridge is a real find for the cardiovascular system. There are no contraindications for cores among them, but the benefits are simply endless.
And now let's talk about the general rules of nutrition for some diseases of the cardiovascular system.
Features of nutrition in certain diseases
The taste and usefulness of cereals will only improve, thanks to the combination with other foods that are useful for the heart and blood vessels.
With atherosclerosis, doctors and nutritionists recommend introducing it into the diet:
- Unrefined vegetable oils , especially flaxseed and olive;
- Fruits with delicate fiber: persimmon , banana ;
- Heart-healthy vegetables ( pumpkin , tomatoes , cucumbers);
- Fish and seafood containing omega 3 acids;
- Low-fat cottage cheese.
For angina pectoris and myocardial infarction, it is recommended to enrich the diet:
- With mashed, baked or boiled vegetables;
- Pasta made from coarse flour, dried bread;
- Fruits for CCC health (persimmon is required, lemon ), a decoction of rosehip and freshly squeezed juices diluted with water (just not grape!);
- Greens and nuts ;
- Fermented milk products and seafood.
In case of problems with the circulatory system, it is desirable that the daily menu contains:
- Honey necessary for the heart , dairy products;
- Berries are also necessary for the heart (especially cranberries , kalina , grapes ), as well as fruits and vegetables in all types except onion, garlic and pepper;
- Unsalted bread;
- Nuts and greens, turmeric ;
- Natural sweets: dried fruits for the heart , especially dried apricots and raisins ; but bitter chocolate is undesirable.
Recommendations of cardiologists
Cardiologists also strongly advise sacrificing a number of familiar foods for the sake of cardiovascular health.
- It is advisable to salt food less, and it is better to keep salt consumption to a minimum, especially since many ready-made products already have salt (for example, in bread).
- Be sure to accustom yourself to the last meal at least 2 hours before bedtime.
- Adhere to the principle of diversity: use at least a little bit in the weekly diet all the products necessary for the heart: alternate porridges and their fillers, experiment with cooking in a steamer, slow cooker and oven.
Related videos
Also be sure to check out the video below:
Despite the fact that nutrition itself is not a medicine, you can radically change your eating habits, which are favorable for health, at the expense of food. This is especially valuable in relation to the cardiovascular system, which determines the quality of a person's entire life.