Written By: Debjani Arora | Updated: April 10, 2017, 10:44 AM
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Plant-based diets are always considered to be good for your heart. It is not for nothing that your doctor adviced you to eat more green vegetables to boost your heart health, improve blood circulation and keep cardiovascular diseases at bay. So, if you are wondering what to pick up when you go grocery shopping the next time and give your heart the much needed TLC, don’t miss these green coloured vegetables.
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Broccoli: You might hate it, but a diet rich in broccoli can be a blessing for your heart. A study published in the journal Plant Food for Human Nutrition in 2010 pointed out that even relatively short dietary treatment with broccoli sprouts can help reduce oxidative stress and prevent damages of heart cells due to low blood supply or ischemia [1]. So, not just salad, explore options to have this vegetable in a tasty and healthy manner.
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Spinach: We cannot stress why spinach needs to occupy a prominent place in your daily menu. But if you need one more reason, know that it is good for your heart. Being rich in nitrate oxide it helps keep pressure fluctuations in check. A study published in clinical nutrition research in 2015 mentioned that vegetables like spinach rich in nitrate content help in dilating arterial stiffness and control BP [2].
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Fenugreek: A study done on rats with fenugreek seeds showed that it could lower risks of a heart attack; alter lipid profiles because of its rich antioxidant contents [3]. So we guess having fenugreek will do your heart better than you might think.
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Green bell-peppers: Capsaicin, the phytochemical responsible for the spiciness in Peppers has the potential to boost metabolic health through activation of TRPV1 a protein which also helps in restoring vascular health [4]. So, yes they give your heart the much needed TLC.
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Green chillies: Again capsaicin is present in green chillies, too. A study published in journal BMJ in the year 2015 mentioned that people who consumed spicy foods had lower death rates related to cancer, ischemic heart diseases, and respiratory diseases [5]. So we assume sprinkling finely cut green chillies on your dal, curry and chats is going to make your heart healthy too.
