The Heartsmart Top 10 'Super Foods'

The Heartsmart Top 10

While there’s no such thing as a “miracle food”, there are certain foods that everyone should try to eat more of – fruit, vegetables, legumes and whole grains. Terrific for heart health, they provide vitamins, beta carotene, lycopene, isoflavones, plant sterols, folic acid and fibre.

1) Broccoli. For vitamin C, beta carotene and folic acid.
2) Cantaloupe. For vitamins A and C and beta carotene.
3) Beans or legumes. For iron, folic acid fibre and plant sterols. Additional sources of plant sterols are polyunsaturated vegetable oils and enriched margarine.
4) Sweet potatoes. For vitamins A and C, beta carotene, potassium and fibre.
5) Salmon, tuna, rainbow trout. For omega-3 fatty acids.
6) Spinach, kale, swiss chard. For vitamins A and C, beta carotene, calcium, folic acid and fibre.
7) Oranges. For vitamin C, folic acid and fibre.
8) Tomatoes. For lycopene.
9) Whole grains and whole-grain breads and cereals. For vitamin B and fibre.
10) Soybeans and soy products. For B vitamins, isoflavones, fibre and plant sterols.

Lycopene and isoflavones are antioxidants found naturally in plants. A diet rich in antioxidants has been linked with decreased risk of heart disease. Plant sterols are naturally occurring compounds that can help manage cholesterol.

Source: Heartsmart Living