As a vegan, you may be wondering how you can possible eat for heart health when the most highly-touted heart healthy food, salmon, isn’t on your vegan shopping list. Good news, the following five heart healthy vegan foods are just a few vegan options that will deliciously tune up your ticker.
As a vegan, you may be wondering how you can possible eat for heart health when the most highly-touted heart healthy food, salmon, isn’t on your vegan shopping list. Good news, the following five heart healthy vegan foods are just a few vegan options that will deliciously tune up your ticker.
5 Vegan foods that are good for the heart
1. Vegan dark chocolate
Dark chocolate is one of the most delicious and indulgent of the heart healthy vegan foods. Lusciously loaded with flavonoids, healthy phytonutrients found in the cocao plants, dark chocolate has antioxidant power that protects the heart. Small bites of dark chocolate every day can lower your cholesterol and blood pressure as well as simply make you feel really good.
2. Red wine
Imagine a decadent heart healthy evening nibbling dark chocolate and sipping red wine. The operative words are “nibbling” and “sipping” — consuming too much chocolate and wine can actually harm your heart health. A glass of vegan red wine a day is all you need to benefit from the heart healthy polyphenols, which are potent antioxidants that slow cell deterioration and prevent plaque build up and platelet formation that build up in the arteries.
3. Blueberries
Blueberries are bursting with anthocyanins, the antioxidants that give these delicious blue-hued gems their dark color. The antioxidants in blueberries can lower your risk of heart disease because they fight free radical damage to your cells and may help reduce inflammation related to heart disease. Bonus: Blueberries are available year-round — fresh when in season or frozen during other times of the year.
4. Edamame
Packed with protein and healthy fats, edamame (fresh soybeans) can lower cholesterol and triglycerides, which will help prevent heart disease. Edamame is also an excellent source of fiber and other vitamins and minerals. Other soy-based products, such as tofu and soy milk, can also boost heart health.
5. Oatmeal
A bowl of oatmeal with blueberries and ground flax will lower your risk of heart disease because oatmeal is high in fiber (lowers cholesterol), blueberries are loaded with antioxidants (fights free radical damage), and ground flax is a nutty-tasting source of omega-3s, the fatty acids that help reduce inflammation of the heart. This hearty vegan breakfast combination is a heart healthy way to start your day.
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