5 Inexpensive, Delicious, and Simple Heart-Healthy Foods
If we were all living completely healthy lives all of the time, health insurance wouldn’t be such an important thing to have, but the world we live in is full of hundreds of thousands of life-threatening variables. Health insurance is extremely important, and living a healthier life could help reduce your need for medical care, costing you less in the long run, so today, we’re going to take a look at five simple foods that can help you fight off heart disease.
1.) Berries
Sweet, tasty, and fun to eat, berries can help reduce your body’s bad cholesterol and boost your immune system with a wide range of vital antioxidants. Best of all, berries can be eaten fresh, turned into a smoothie, or even baked into a pie if you’re feeling like a sweeter treat. So how do berries do all of this? By delivering high levels of fiber into your body alongside those vital antioxidants. Cranberries contain the highest concentration of fiber, and it isn’t packed with sugar like many other berries, making it a great healthy snack. Cranberries are also a great option, and they’re also a good source of vitamin C!
2.) Avocados
The primary ingredient in guacamole, avocados are a fantastic way to deliver vitamin E to your body, promoting a healthy heart. Avocados are also the best source of B vitamins and monosaturated fats out there (at least in plant form). Avocados also contain fiber to fight against bad cholesterols, and magnesium, a compound found to regulate your heartrate. Avocados are also extremely cheap, and it only take a little bit of avocado every day to see results, so find a great recipe or eat these green fruit plain – just watch out for that core.
3.) Oats
Super grains don’t have to be super expensive, and while quinoa and amaranth might be all the rage right now, nothing beats the heart-healthy oat. One of the most heavily-examined grains available, the humble oat is proven to improve your heart’s health, and it’s extremely flexible. Turn it into oatmeal, add it to a smoothie, or just eat it plain. Many cereals contain oats, so keep an eye out for those additional ways to stay heart-healthy. Oats are chock-full of B vitamins, magnesium, fiber, calcium, and proteins – more so than any other grain.
4.) Flax
Flax isn’t just a great addition to a heart healthy diet – it contains omega-3 fats, proven to not only promote a healthy heart, but a healthy brain, nervous system, and digestive system. Cold-milled flax in particular is full of these beneficial fats, and flax can be added to smoothies, veggies, salads, or oatmeal for added texture. Avoiding gluten? Use flax as a gluten-free substitute for flour or breadcrumbs in your favorite recipes!
5.) Broccoli
Broccoli may be number 5 on our list, but it’s number one in cost-effectiveness. If you’re looking for a cheap and easy way to promote a healthy heart, the addition of broccoli can be huge. With high amounts of protein, calcium, B vitamins, and fiber, broccoli promotes a healthy heart and staves off stroke, heart attacks, and high cholesterol. Try it fresh, steamed, boiled, fried, or covered in cheese – broccoli is good with almost everything!
Do you have a favorite heart-healthy food that wasn’t featured? Let us know in the comments section below, and call or click Cost U Less today for California health insurance made to fit any budget and any lifestyle.
