Heart Disease
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10. SOME HEART HEALTHY NATURAL FOODS
Fruits and Vegetables
10.1 Apples – Our forefathers had rightly adopted the maxim, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Apples are packed with nutrients (antioxidants, vitamins and minerals), complex carbohydrates, fibre (soluble and insoluble), water and a burst of flavour. Apples are replete with iron, calcium, arsenic, phosphorus and small amounts of potassium, magnesium, boron, and vitamins A, C, E, B-complex and folate. Flavonoid-rich apples inhibit the kinds of cellular activities that lead to the development of chronic diseases. The antioxidants, called polyphenols, in apples are the same that are found in red wine, berries and dark chocolate. Phytonutrients and fibre present in the apples reduce blood cholesterol by preventing oxidation of the bad LDL cholesterol, improve bowel function, reduce risk of heart disease, stroke, prostate cancer, Type-II diabetes and asthma. It is the magnesium and potassium content of apples that help regulate your blood pressure and keep your heart beating steadily. It is the flavonoid quercetin, a naturally occurring antioxidant, that protects your artery walls from damage and keeps your blood flowing smoothly. Quercetin has also been found to have anti-cancer property and anti-inflammatory property to aid arthritis sufferers. Another active medicinal ingredient, pectin, in apples aids detoxification by supplying the galacturonic acid needed for elimination of certain harmful substances. The malic acid in apples is beneficial to the brain, liver and bowels. The acid of the apples also exerts an antiseptic influence upon the germs present in the mouth and teeth when it is thoroughly chewed. Natural nutrients in apples can increase lung power and can reduce the risk of respiratory diseases. The essential trace element boron in apples has been shown to strengthen bones – a good defence against osteoporosis. Apples are also found to play a role in inhibiting ageing-related problems, preventing wrinkles and promoting hair health and growth. Eating nutritious, fibre-rich and low calories apple snack makes you feel full longer and keeps you away from bingeing, so if you are watching your weight as part of a defence against obesity, diabetes or heart disease, make apples a part of your diet every day. Thus, an apple a day just might keep the doctor away!
10.2 Blueberries – Packed with antioxidant phytonutrients called anthocyanins, blueberries neutralise free radical damage to the collagen matrix (the ground substance of all body tissues) of cells and tissues that can lead to heart disease, cancer, cataracts, glaucoma, varicose veins and haemorrhoids. Anthocyanins, the blue-red pigments found in blueberries, improve the integrity of support structures in veins and entire vascular system. While red wine is touted as cardioprotective since it is also a good source of anthocyanins, a recent study found that blueberries deliver 38% more of these free radical fighters. Blueberries help protect the brain from oxidative stress and damage after a stroke. Blueberries are said to have more antioxidants than any other fruit and vegetable and are rich in vitamins C and E that feed the brain. The compound pterostilbene is as good at lowering blood cholesterol as the commercial drug ciprofibrate.
10.3 An overwhelming body of research has now firmly established that dietary intake of berry fruits has beneficial impact on human health and disease prevention. As a
