Worried about your heart health? Adding these Six Foods in Your Diet Can Help – ryan
Health Check: Diet is one of the most powerful ways to boost your cardiovascular health (Image: Alamy/PA)
The timing of your meals might be more crucial to your heart health than you think. A new study from researchers at the University of Southampton and Mass General Brigham in the US SUGGESTS that When we Eat may be just as important as what we eat-especially for those working outside the traditional 9-to-5.
The Findings, Published in Nature Communications, Explored How meal timing Affects cardiovascular risk. While previously studies had already linked night shift work to increased risk of heart disease, this study focuses on whether eating during the day might reduce those risks.
In A Controlled Two Week Experiment, Twenty Healthy Volunteers followed a schedule mimicking night shift work. Half Ate Meals during the day, while the other half ate at night.
More Food and Nutrition
Researchers measured various cardiovascular Markers, including Blood Pressure, Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 (which increases the risk of blood clots), and activity of the autonomic nervous system. The results showed that those who ate during the day had more favorable outcomes, SUIFESTING DAYTime Eating could help mitigate heart-related risks linked to shift work or irregular schedules.
Professor Frank Scheer, Director of the Medical Chronobiology Programs at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, SARS: “Our prior research has shown shown that circadian misalignment – the mistimation of our behavioral cycle relative to our internal body clock – inscreases cardiovascular Factors.
Heart-Healthy Foods to Consider
Beyond When We Eat, Dietitians and Cardiologists Agree that What We Eat Also Plays A Key Role In Protecting the Heart. Here are Six Foods Experts Recommend for Supporting Cardiovascular Health:
Salmon
Rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Salmon can help Lower Inflammation and Improve Cholesterol Balance. Cardiologist Dr. Jay Shah recommends including it regularly in your diet, while Dietitian Rosie Carr suggests baking it with lemon and herbs in the oven at 180c for 15-20 minutes or poaching it in a fragrant broth for a tender, moist result.
Oats
Whole Grains Like Oats Provide Complex Carbohydrates and Soluble Fiber, which helps Stabilise Blood Sugar and Lower LDL (Bad) Cholesterol. Both Carr and Shah Suggest overnight Oats or Porridge with Berries as a Simple Daily Breakfast.
Leafy Greens
Vegetables Like Spinach and Kale are high in Dietary Nitrates and Potassium. These Nutrients help improve blood flow, Support Healthy Blood Pressure and Balance Sodium Levels.
“These foods are rich in dietary nitrates that convert to nitric oxide in the body, helping blood vessels dilate, improving blood flow and lowering blood pressure,” says Carr. “They can be easily added to soups, stews or stir-fries as a healthy addition,” adds shah.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
KNOWN FOR ITS HEART-FRIENDLY MONUSUNSATURATED FATS AND ANTIOXIDants called Polyphenols, Olive Oil Helps Reduce Inflammation and Oxidative Stress. Carr suggests using it in salad dressings, over steamed vegetables, or as a dip for bread in place of butter.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are a good source of lycopene, an antioxidant linked to Lower cholesterol oxidation and inflammation. “Interestingly, cooking tomatoes increases the bioavailability of lycopene. So, I recommend slow-roasting tomatoes with a bit of olive oil to concentrate flavors and boost lycopene availableability or incorporate tomato pasters and sauces,” Shares Carr.
Fermented Dairy (yogurt, kefir)
These products contain probiotics that may help lower blood pressure and reduce inflammation. They also provide vitamin k2, which supports arterial health by preventing calcium buildup.
“I recommend using plain, unsweetened yogurt as a base for breakfast bowls, as a substitutes for sour cream, or in marinades,” says Carr.