Eat To Reduce Your Risk Of Heart Disease

Heart disease affects so many people and I am sure we all know at least one person who is affected. There are so many things you can do like exercising to keep excess weight off and keep your heart healthy. But here are some yummy things you can eat to help keep heart disease at bay.

Blueberries: Good news if you love blueberries: Just one cup per day could help decrease your blood pressure and reduce arterial stiffness, reports the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Participants who downed 22 grams of freeze-dried blueberry powder (equal to one cup of fresh berries) for eight weeks experienced a 5 percent decrease in blood pressure and a 6.5 percent decrease in arterial stiffness. One reason? Blueberries helped boost levels of nitric oxide, which is important for dilating blood vessels, by nearly 69 percent. More research is needed to understand how, exactly, blueberries have this effect, but there's no downside to popping more of the sweet fruit throughout your day.

Avocado: An avocado a day may keep the cardiologist away. People who added an avocado to their daily diet experienced improvements in their LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, reports a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. After five weeks, those consuming a moderate-fat diet plus a daily avocado experienced a 13.5-point decrease their LDL, compared to an 8.3-point drop among those who ate a moderate-fat diet sans avocado, and a 7.4-point drop among those who ate a low-fat diet without an avocado. Researchers attribute the heart-healthy effects to monounsaturated fatty acids along with fiber, antioxidants, and other compounds. However, this doesn't give you permission to fill up on salty chips and guacamole. Add more avocado to your diet the heart-healthy way by tossing it into salads, spreading it on sandwiches, or even blending it into smoothies.

Oats and other whole grains: People who eat more whole grains such as oats, brown rice, and whole-grain bread have a lower risk of death, especially due to cardiovascular disease, according to a new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. People with high whole-grain intake—as much as six or more servings per day—have a 15 percent decreased risk of death due to heart disease, researchers found. Previous studies suggest that fiber in whole grains may help reduce blood cholesterol and blood pressure levels, which can help protect your heart. Take a scan of your diet and replace refined grains (such as white bread, white pasta, white rice, bagels, and other baked goods) with whole. Replacing just one serving of refined grains with a serving of whole grains per day was associated with an 8 percent lower risk due to cardiovascular causes, the study found.

Almonds: Shed fat and boost your heart health? Sounds like a win-win. Participants who snacked on 1.5 ounces of almonds per day for six weeks lost more abdominal fat and experienced a greater decrease in LDL (bad) cholesterol than those who snacked on a muffin containing the same number of calories, reports a study in the Journal of the American Heart Association. Excess belly fat and increased cholesterol levels are associated with metabolic syndrome, a cluster of risk factors that can increase your risk of heart disease and other health issues. Almonds are a rich source of oleic acid, an unsaturated fatty acid, as well as fiber and phytosterols. Reach for a handful of almonds per day.

Toasted Coconut Kettle Corn

I am a huge snacker, some days I realize I haven't really eaten a meal I have just snacked all day! Eating like that can definitely get me in to trouble so I try to keep healthier snacks around for those days when I just want to snack! Popcorn is great and full of fiber, you just have to be careful of what you put on it. While my grandma is completely happy using her air popper to make a batch of popcorn and she will eat it plain, that just doesn't work for me. I have tried it and just can't do it! So luckily there are some healthier and delicious ways to top it. If you love coconut and almonds you will love this recipe! Perfect combination of salty and sweet, I think I will have to make another batch today!

Toasted Coconut Kettle Corn
 Yield: 8-10 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

¼ cup coconut oil
½ cup popcorn kernels
¼ cup granulated sugar
1/2-1 tsp coarse sea salt
1 ½ cups unsweetened toasted coconut chips
1 cup Blue Diamond Toasted Coconut Almonds

In a large pot with a lid, heat the coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add in 2 or 3 popcorn kernels, when those pop you know the oil is hot enough. Add in the popcorn kernels and sprinkle the sugar over them.  Cover and stir or shake the pan until the popping slows down. The popcorn should be done popping in about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour the kettle corn into a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and toss. You may want to start with a little less salt and then add more depending on how salty/sweet you like your popcorn. Add the toasted coconut chips and Toasted Coconut Almonds.

This recipe is still great even if you don't have or don't like coconut chips and the toasted coconut almonds. You can also sub regular plain almonds or roasted and salted almonds. If you don't want to spend the time toasting the coconut in a pan or in your oven just throw it on without toasting, it's still tasty. And if you want the popcorn a little sweeter use sweetened coconut. You have lots of options here!

Adapted from twopeasandtheirpod.com