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Eat These Foods for a Healthier Heart
1 Dec
Summary
- Polyphenol-rich foods like berries and tea improve heart health.
- Study links higher polyphenol intake to better blood pressure and cholesterol.
- Plant compounds in everyday foods offer a practical heart protection strategy.
Incorporating polyphenol-rich foods into your daily diet offers a simple yet effective way to maintain cardiovascular well-being. These natural compounds, found abundantly in items like berries, tea, coffee, nuts, and whole grains, have been strongly linked to improved heart health.
Recent research tracked over 3,100 U.K. adults for 11 years, monitoring their blood pressure and cholesterol. The study observed that as levels of certain polyphenol metabolites in participants' urine increased, key heart risk factors improved. This included a beneficial rise in 'good' HDL cholesterol, demonstrating a direct association between diet and heart function.
These findings indicate that long-term adherence to diets rich in polyphenols, particularly flavonoids and phenolic acids, can substantially slow the progression of cardiovascular risk with age. The widespread availability of these plant compounds in common foods makes this an accessible health strategy for widespread adoption.
