7 Red Foods You Must Eat That Can Save Your Heart Health
Hey there viewers! Want to live a long and healthy life? Then you need to start taking
care of your heart! Did you know heart disease is the leading cause of death in
the United States? Every 36 seconds, one person dies from cardiovascular disease.
Fortunately, you can make easy lifestyle modifications to keep your heart strong.
And one of them is eating more red foods! Sounds bizarre, right?
What does the color of food have to do with your heart health? Well, a lot.
In today’s video, we’ll be exploring red foods you need to eat for a healthy and strong heart.
Why did tomatoes make it to the top of our list? Are red bell peppers
any good for your health? We’ll be discussing all of this AND more…
Begin with including tomatoes in your regular diet
Tomatoes don’t just make for an excellent pizza topping. This red-colored food is
great for your health, especially your heart.So what makes tomatoes special? The answer lies
in an antioxidant called lycopene (lai•kuh•peen) found in tomatoes. This antioxidant can help
reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.If you’re eating tomatoes for health benefits,
always ensure you eat the skin too. The highest amount of lycopene lies in the skin
of the tomatoes. As a general rule, the redder the tomato is, the more lycopene it will have.
Sauces and ketchup are the most common tomato products in Western diets. In the United States,
around 80% of lycopene comes from these products, as well as tomato paste and juice. The lycopene
you get from these products is often more than what you get from fresh tomatoes.
For instance, 100 grams of ketchup will give you around 10 to 14 milligrams of lycopene. But 100
grams of fresh tomato will only give you up to 8 grams. Of course, you won’t be eating a bottle
of ketchup in one sitting. But tomato products are still a great way to get this antioxidant.
Experts credit lycopene for playing an important role in ensuring your heart health. Research
has shown low levels of lycopene in your blood increase the chances of a heart attack or stroke.
Studies have also shown tomato products can help fight against inflammation and oxidative stress.
Another way lycopene helps your heart is by reducing LDL cholesterols in your
blood. LDL is the bad cholesterol responsible for many heart issues.
Still not convinced about eating more tomatoes? Eating tomatoes also lowers the risk of blood clot
formation. Hmm, maybe it’s time for some tomato soup! Go on; Your heart will thank you later.
Next on our list is red bell peppers
Bell peppers come in various colors- green, yellow, orange, and red. Green bell peppers
are unripe, whereas red bell peppers are fully mature and mildly sweet but with an earthy taste.
Eat more red bell pepper if you want your heart to stay healthy and strong. They are
packed with vitamins A and C. Half a cup of red bell peppers can give you as much as 47%
of the vitamin A your body needs every day. The same amount of peppers also
gives you 159% of the vitamin C you need daily.The vitamin C in red bell peppers works as a
powerful antioxidant. It can help prevent cell damage and has anti-inflammatory properties.
Vitamin C boosts your immune system and fights off microbes, like bacteria,
protecting your body from infections.Red bell peppers are also a great source of
iron. And get this! The Vitamin C in this veggie helps your body absorb iron more efficiently.
Pairing red bell peppers with iron-rich food such as spinach and meat can help increase
your iron intake.
It’s time you add watermelon to your diet
Don’t like tomatoes? Another way to get lycopene- the heart health-boosting
antioxidant- is to start including watermelon in your diet, as it’s rich in lycopene.
The best part is this red fruit is a refreshing summer delight. It’s juicy and sweet. You can
eat it on its own, add it to your bowl of fruit salad, or make delicious watermelon smoothies.
Research shows the lycopene in watermelon can help reduce your cholesterol levels, preventing
oxidative damage to your cells caused by high cholesterol and lowering your blood pressure.
Include watermelon in your diet as it is rich in an amino acid called citrulline.
This amino acid can help raise your nitric oxide levels in the body. Higher nitric
oxide can help expand your blood vessels, lowering your blood pressure levels. High
blood pressure levels can lead to a heart attack.There are other nutrients in watermelon that can
help your heart’s health. These include magnesium, vitamin B6 and potassium.
Watermelon contains other important nutrients like vitamins A and C. The combination of vitamin C,
antioxidants, and lycopene ensures lower oxidative damage to your cells,
reducing inflammation in your body. Lowering levels of inflammation means
your risk of getting a chronic disease is significantly less.
A study conducted for 8 weeks among 31 people struggling with obesity
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