Want a Healthy Heart? Eat More Greens

There are a lot of healthy foods that you can work into your diet to improve your heart health. Some of the best foods for heart health are dark leafy greens.

A 2021 study in the European Journal of Epidemiology reported that leafy green vegetables may potentially lower the risk of heart disease.

The study examined over 53,000 participants over the course of 23 years. Researchers found that participants who ate more leafy green veggies saw a 12-26% lower risk of heart disease.

What is it about vegetables, and leafy greens in particular, that makes them so good at protecting your heart? Researchers involved in the above study believe there may be a connection to the nitrate present in those leafy greens.

Nitrate gets turned into nitric oxide when your body digests the veggies, and that in turn relaxes and expands your blood vessels. This can potentially help lower blood pressure, an effect that the researchers saw in those who ate one cup of greens or more daily.

“Eating green for your heart is next level,” says the American Heart Association. “Green foods – especially leafy greens, avocados and vegetables – are loaded with fibre, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients. In a heart-healthy eating pattern, green foods can help lower cholesterol, support healthy blood vessels and reduce overall cardiovascular risk.”

Remember to pack your plate daily with more leafy green veggies. Your heart will thank you for it.

Source: Green Eating magazine; American Heart Association

(Pictures from American Heart Association)