Five foods that love your heart

Do you love your heart? You might say yes, but your heart says no. If you’ve got a high–stress lifestyle and low–nutrient food choices, it’s likely that your heart is suffering from lack of loving. You’re not alone. Statistics show that heart disease remains one of the top killer diseases in the world today. One quick shift you can do to love your heart more is to eat healthy. Quit the triple decker cheeseburgers and extra large fries that damage your heart and expand your belly. Grab some healthy yet tasty foods that will do your ticker a lot of good. Here are five foods that love your heart and please your taste buds too. 1. Sardines This small fish packs a lot of omega-3 fatty acids that help clean up your heart of those excess fatty buildups, decrease the risk of abnormal heartbeats, and reduce the inflammation of arteries. Studies have shown that women who eat fish three times a week reduced their risk of total coronary heart disease by 31 percent. Other great finned food options are salmon and canned light tuna that are low in mercury but high in heart-healthy fats. 2. Whole grain bread If you must eat carbs, whole grain is the way to go. Fiber found in whole grain foods helps lower blood cholesterol levels and the risk of heart disease. These foods also have folate which helps the body form red blood cells. Whole grains also love your belly --- it makes you feel full longer sans the excess calories so you'll tend to eat less. Aim for a daily serving so you can keep your heart happy while trimming your belly too. 3. Peanut butter Craving for a creamy treat? Peanut butter has polyunsaturated fat that decreases bad cholesterol. It also helps keep the blood vessels around the heart healthy. One tablespoon a day is enough for you to enjoy peanut butter's heart-loving benefits. Spread it on your whole grain bread for a double heart-healthy kick. If you're not into sweet spreads, you can always opt for a handful of plain nuts, especially walnuts, that’s chock-full of good fats. 4. Avocado If you want to keep your heart healthy, avocados can be your allies in preventing bad cholesterol from getting to your heart. This succulent fruit also has folate that helps reduce risks of stroke and cardiovascular diseases. Eat it alone, mashed and used as a bread spread or make it into a smoothie. Half an avocado a day can help keep the heart monsters away. 5. Dark chocolate Yup, chocolate, at least the dark one, loves your heart too. Dark chocolate has flavonoids that help improve blood flow. Research has shown that eating a few ounces of dark chocolate everyday helped reduce blood pressure. To get the maximum health benefits, look for dark chocolate with at least 70 percent cocoa. Of course, moderation is still key: feel free to indulge in two squares of dark chocolate a few times a week. If you include these foods in a healthy balanced diet, and throw in some walking exercises, your heart will surely be healthy and happy. – YA, GMANews.TV References: American Heart Association Real Age