Photo courtesy of the Almond Board of California
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Power Your Pump
By Melissa Gotthardt, May & June 2005
Six super foods that can protect your heart’s health just as well as a fistful of medication
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Two years ago British scientists proposed the "Polypill," a
cocktail of six known drugs that, they claimed, would slash the risk of heart
attack and stroke by 80 percent if taken daily.
Now meet the "Polymeal," six foods that, eaten regularly, could
cut heart disease risk by 76 percent—without drugs. Dutch scientists
proposed the diet in fun to show that healthy nutrition can protect your heart
as well as drugs can. But they designed the meal by studying scads of research,
so it really could add years to your life.
Almonds A handful of almonds a day reduces LDL—bad
cholesterol—by nearly 5 percent, according to a University of Toronto
study. And two handfuls cut LDL by nearly 10 percent.
Fish Four servings of fish a week can lower heart disease risk by an
average of 14 percent, say Tulane University researchers. Choose cold-water
species such as salmon, tuna, and sardines—they're full of omega-3s,
fatty acids that can lower cholesterol, blood pressure, and even the blood cell
stickiness that contributes to clots. But don't go overboard. More than
four four-ounce servings a week can raise blood mercury levels.
Garlic It may not do much for your popularity, but a daily dose of
garlic can reduce total cholesterol levels by 17 points, for a 25 percent
decrease in heart disease risk. Subjects in scientific studies typically take
600 to 900 mg of garlic in dried capsule form, but one fresh clove contains
about the same amount of the active compounds.
Produce Score another one for fruits and vegetables. Four hundred
grams (about 14 ounces) of produce a day could cut heart disease risk by nearly
one fourth. The foods contain antioxidants that fight the cellular damage that
contributes to atherosclerosis, a deadly hardening of the arteries. Produce
also provides dietary fiber, which was found to cut heart disease risk by 40
percent in a Harvard study. Broccoli, berries, melons, carrots, and leafy
greens are all rich in both antioxidants and fiber.
Wine A daily glass of the grape can lower your odds of heart disease
by one third, according to the journal Circulation. Wine (especially red) is
rich in polyphenols, substances that prevent oxidation, the process that causes
cholesterol to glom on to artery walls. As ever, too much wine is worse for you
than none at all.
Dark chocolate Eating this treat daily can reduce blood pressure.
University of California, San Francisco, researchers have an idea why:
flavonoids, chemical compounds found in chocolate, can decrease blood cell
stickiness to promote blood flow. Don't go nuts, though: subjects in the
study ate just one 1.6-ounce bar per day.
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