Which vegetables are the most beneficial for the heart and blood vessels: TOP 8

Nutrition plays a very important role in the prevention and treatment of diseases of the cardiovascular system. By choosing the right diet, you can provide invaluable help to your health.

In a diet aimed at heart and vascular health, vegetables occupy a special place along with fruits.

Which vegetables have the most beneficial effect and how to use them correctly, we will tell you in our article.

Why is it so important to consume them?

Vegetables are a real storehouse of useful substances and elements. They contain in their composition:

• Vitamins;
• Minerals;
• Antioxidants;
• Organic acids;
• Unsaturated fatty acids;
• Polyphenols;
• Fiber.

With regular use, vegetables protect the heart and blood vessels and normalize their work. They prevent many diseases of the cardiovascular system and facilitate the course of already developed diseases.

TOP 8 Vegetables for Cardiovascular Health

8 vegetables can be included in the list of the most useful products.

1. Tomatoes

Tomatoes, when consumed regularly, reduce the risk of developing heart rhythm disorders — extrasystole, atrial fibrillation, tachycardia.

The substances included in their composition normalize the work of the nervous system , reduce its excitability, thus preventing the development of hypertension.

Tomatoes contain a large amount of the antioxidant lycopene, which prevents the deposition of cholesterol on the walls of blood vessels and thereby reduces the risk of atherosclerosis.

To provide your body with a sufficient amount of this substance, tomatoes are best consumed after heat treatment along with vegetable fats — for example, you can add sunflower or olive oil to them.

2. Carrots

This vegetable is rich in a variety of antioxidants — carotenoids. It contains alpha-carotene, beta-carotene and lycopene. These compounds prevent tissue damage the heart is free of oxygen.

Fresh vegetable, as well as carrot juice, has the property of increasing pressure , therefore, it should not be used by people suffering from hypotension, that is, low blood pressure.

Also, with regular consumption of carrots, it helps to prevent spasms and dilation of blood arteries and veins.

The vitamins and trace elements contained in this vegetable reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Carrot seeds also contribute to the removal of toxins from the circulatory system.

3. Onion

Onions are rich in quercetin. This flavonoid has powerful antioxidant activity. It has a positive effect on the heart and blood vessels, as well as improves the overall condition of the body.

Quercetin stabilizes capillary membranes, strengthens arteries and veins and reduces the permeability of their walls, protects the tissues of the organs of the cardiovascular system from damage and pathological changes.

It also lowers blood pressure and prevents the development of hypertension. Quercetin relieves spasms of arteries and veins, improving blood supply to body tissues and relieving vascular headaches. Another useful property of it is that it reduces the content of harmful cholesterol in the blood and prevents the development of atherosclerosis.

In addition to quercetin, onions are rich in potassium, which improves the activity of the heart muscle and vascular function.

4. Garlic

Garlic helps with hypertension, arrhythmia, angina pectoris, disorders of cerebral circulation, coronary heart disease. With its regular consumption, the risk of heart attack decreases.

The beneficial properties of garlic are primarily explained by the high content of hydrogen sulfide. This compound acts on the walls of arteries and veins and relaxes them. Garlic is also rich in antioxidants.

It turns out to be most useful in fresh form, and dried or heat-treated garlic is no longer so effective.

5. Pumpkin

Pumpkin is another valuable source of potassium.

It also contains vitamin A, which facilitates the course of angina pectoris and reduces its manifestations.

Pumpkin cleanses blood and blood vessels from bad cholesterol, reducing the risk of atherosclerosis, lowers blood pressure and improves hematopoiesis, preventing the development of anemia.

6. Pepper

Hot pepper lowers blood pressure, reduces the risk of atherosclerosis and prevents the formation of blood clots.

These beneficial properties are largely explained by the high content of the alkaloid capsaicin, which gives pepper its burning taste.

This substance reduces the concentration of harmful cholesterol in the blood and activates the processes of its processing and excretion from the body. Capsaicin also normalizes blood pressure by affecting genes that regulate the contraction of blood vessel walls.

Red bell pepper is rich in potassium and iron. It improves the functioning of the heart, as well as normalizes the function of the nervous system, which reduces the risk of hypertension.

7. Beet

Beetroot is rich in vitamin B9, iron, iodine and zinc. Due to this, it is useful in the prevention of heart disease and improves hematopoiesis. Beet tops contain large amounts of potassium and magnesium.

These minerals are necessary to maintain a normal rhythm the work of the heart. With their deficiency, disorders of the tone of the heart muscle and blood vessels develop.

B vitamins, antioxidants and fiber, which are rich in beet tops, are also useful for protecting the heart.

8. Cabbage

Cabbage contains a large amount of vitamin C and fiber, which are very important for maintaining heart and vascular health. It prevents the development of hypertension, lowers cholesterol and gently cleanses the body of toxins.

Both fresh and sauerkraut are useful. But the latter should be included in the diet in limited quantities, since it contains a large amount of salt, which is harmful to the cardiovascular system.

Cabbage leaves can be effectively used for cardiac edema on the legs. To do this, put the leaf in the freezer for 30 minutes, and then attach it to the calf muscle.

The rest

To get the maximum benefit for the cardiovascular system, it is worth including some other vegetables in the diet:

• Celery strengthens the heart muscle and normalizes its work, reduces the risk of hypertension and atherosclerosis.
• Sea cabbage is useful for hypertension, atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. It improves vascular nutrition, reduces the risk of blood clots and reduces the likelihood of a heart attack.
• Cucumbers rich in vitamins C and K, folic acid, iron and calcium. They normalize the work of the heart muscle, reduce blood pressure and clear blood vessels of cholesterol plaques.
• Potatoes maintains blood pressure at a normal level, lowers cholesterol, protects vascular walls from destruction and prevents the appearance of blood clots.
• Spinach is rich in folic acid, potassium, magnesium, calcium and carotenoids. It protects the walls of blood vessels and prevents an increase in blood pressure.

Other useful products

In addition to vegetables, other foods should be included in the diet.

1. Marine fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce triglyceride levels and normalize the rhythm of the heart. They are found in large quantities in salmon, tuna, herring, mackerel, anchovies and sardines.
2. Nuts are rich in arginine. This amino acid is produced in small amounts in the human body, but it must also be obtained with food. With its regular use, the risk of a heart attack is reduced by a third. It also protects blood vessels. To get enough arginine, you need to include almonds, walnuts and pine nuts in your diet.
3. Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids. Its use helps to reduce the level of harmful cholesterol, preventing the development of atherosclerosis. Due to the polyphenols contained in its composition in large quantities, olive oil has a protective effect on blood vessels.
4. Oranges are rich in pectins , which neutralize harmful cholesterol. The antioxidant hesperidin contained in them improves vascular function and reduces blood pressure. These fruits are also rich in potassium.
5. Dried apricots are rich in potassium and antioxidants . Due to this, it prevents a violation of the tone of the heart and blood vessels and protects them from damage by free radicals. Two handfuls of dried apricots a day is enough to reduce the risk of recurrent heart attack.
6. Oatmeal contains a large amount of fiber , the use of which reduces the risk of developing heart and vascular diseases. It is also rich in potassium. To get health benefits, you need to use not ready-made porridges, which are enough to pour boiling water, but oat flakes that require cooking.
7. Chocolate is rich in flavonoids , dilating blood vessels and preventing the development of hypertension. To get health benefits, you need to include bitter dark chocolate with a high cocoa content in your diet.
8. Wine contains antioxidants , which protect the heart from free radicals. In order for the benefits to the body to outweigh the harm, this alcoholic drink should be consumed in small quantities. It can also be replaced with grapes, which have a similar positive effect on the heart muscle.

What should be avoided?

To reduce the risk of heart and vascular problems, it is necessary to reduce the consumption of foods high in harmful fats, sugar and salt.

• Fatty meat - beef and pork — as well as other fat-rich animal products such as sausage, lard and smoked cheese. They contribute to an increase in cholesterol in the blood and increase the risk of atherosclerosis.
• Sweets — sugar, candies, cakes and pastries. When using these products, the concentration of cholesterol in the blood increases. They also often cause excess weight gain, which worsens the condition of the cardiovascular system.
• Salt : consuming it in large quantities leads to fluid retention in the body, resulting in increased blood pressure. Salt also increases the risk of atherosclerosis.

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The human heart can work for up to 150 years. A well-chosen diet with enough vegetables will help everyone get closer to this figure. Thanks to a proper diet, you can reduce the risk of developing heart and vascular diseases to a minimum and stay full of energy for many years.