Top 10 heart healthy foods

Section (5) Saif Abdulrahman Al Bannay

Top 10 heart healthy foods

Think heart disease is a man's disease? Think again. While men's rates of heart disease have declined over the past few decades in many countries, women's have been climbing steadily and continue to rise. Nutritionist Michelle Gelok tells you how you can reduce your risk by adopting a healthy diet.

· By Michelle Gelok, Contributor, Aquarius

· Published: 00:00 February 1, 2011

· Avocados are rich in folate and potassium, two nutrients essential for heart health.

· Image Credit: Rex Features

1. Avocado

Once banished for their highfat content, avocados are making a health food comeback. While it's true that avocados are high in fat (one medium avocado has a whopping30g of fat!) it's actually their fat content that is responsible for their many health benefits. Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fat, the type of fat that can lower total and LDL (bad) cholesterol, and raise HDL (good) cholesterol levels. What's more, avocados are also rich in folate and potassium, two nutrients essential for heart health.

Need to know: One medium avocado delivers over 300 calories, so a little goes a longway. Keep portion sizes to a minimum, for maximum health benefits. Add diced avocados to salads, or serve on wholegrain toast with coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.Comment by Administrator: Since Avocadoes are full of calories , we should minimize the portion sizes.

2. Dark chocolate

Chocolate lovers rejoice! Dark chocolate doesn't just taste good, studies show it can also boost heart health. Dark chocolate contains flavonoids, compounds with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-clotting properties. Studies show consuming as little as 7.5g of dark chocolate per day can lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of a heart attacks and strokes.

Need to know: The heart health benefits of chocolate are limited to dark chocolate, and don't include milk or white chocolate. Choose dark chocolate that contains at least 70 per cent cocoa for the most health benefits, and avoid chocolate that contains added ingredients, such as nougat or caramel. Keep portion sizes small to avoid extra calories and weight gain - both of which can cancel out chocolate's heart healthy benefits.Comment by Administrator: Not any chocolate ba is good !

3. Salmon

Salmon tops the list of heart healthy foods, thanks to its exceptional omega-3 fatty acid content. Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce blood pressure, triglycerides, blood clots and can also protect against irregular heartbeats. Studies show that consuming fatty fish, such as salmon, as little as one to two times per week is enough to lower the risk of dying from a heart attack by over 30 per cent.Comment by Administrator: The best heart healthy food.

Need to know: The British Heart Foundation recommends eating one to two portions of oily fish each week. People who have had a heart attack should aim to increase this to two to three portions per week. For the most health benefits, steam, grill or bake salmon, instead of frying it.

4. Lentils

Lentils are an exceptional source of fibre, which helps keep heart disease at bay. In fact, of all the beans and legumes, lentils outrank them all when it comes to fibre; a half cup (175ml) serving of cooked lentils delivers a whopping 12g of fibre, half the daily recommended intake for women. They're also packed with folate and magnesium, two nutrients essential to heart health. Studies show that a diet rich in legumes, such as lentils, can lower the risk of heart disease by up to a third.

Need to know: Compared with other dried beans and legumes, lentils are perhaps the easiest to prepare thanks to their small size. Boost your intake of fibre-rich lentils by adding them to soups, stews and salads.Comment by Administrator: What is the recommended portion of lentils for men?

5. Soy milk

Studies show substituting animal protein from meat, poultry and dairy with protein from soy foods, such as soy milk, can reduce total cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides. What's more, soy foods can help boost HDL (good) cholesterol, lower blood pressure and keep blood vessels healthy.

Need to know: When added to your diet in combination with other known cholesterol-lowering foods, soy's effect becomes even stronger. For the most health benefits, choose a soy milk product that is fortified with vitamins and minerals and contains at least

6. Flaxseed

Flaxseed may be small in size, but it delivers big benefits when it comes to heart health. Flaxseed contains three heart-healthy compounds, alpha-linolenic acid (an essential omega-3 fatty acid), lignans (a type of antioxidant) and dietary fibre. Together, these compounds help protect against heart attacks and strokes by lowering blood lipids, maintaining healthy blood vessels, and decreasing inflammation. Studies show eating as little as two to six tablespoons (15g to 50g) of milled flaxseed every day for six weeks can significantly decrease your overall and LDL (bad) cholesterol.

Need to know: Flaxseed has a very hard shell, which means they can pass through the body undigested if eaten whole. Grinding flaxseed enhances its digestibility and increases its nutritional value. Purchase milled flaxseed, or grind your own in a clean coffee grinder. Ground flaxseed has a shorter shelf life than whole flaxseed and is best stored in an airtight container in the freezer. Add ground flaxseed to hot or cold cereal, cookies, muffins and low-fat yoghurt.

7. Oats

Few other foods outshine oats when it comes to heart health. Oats is an excellent source of soluble fibre, which helps lower total and LDL (bad) cholesterol. Studies show that consuming just 3g of soluble oat fibre per day, equivalent to one and a half cups (375ml) cooked oatmeal or half a cup (175ml) uncooked oats, can lower total cholesterol levels by up to 23 per cent. What's more, oats help stabilise blood glucose levels, which may benefit people with diabetes.

Need to know: Adding oats to your diet couldn't be easier, try adding it to your favourite cookie or muffin recipe, stirringit into a bowl of low-fat yoghurt, or enjoying a bowl of warm oatmeal sprinkled with honey and fresh berries.

8. Kale

Green leafy vegetables, such as kale, can be a lifesaver when it comes to heart disease, including heart attacks and strokes. Studies show high intakes of fruits and vegetables can offer protection, but green leafy vegetables seem to offer the most protection. One study found eating just one serving of green leafy vegetables every day reduced the risk of heart disease by 23 per cent.

Need to know: When it comes to green leafy vegetables, the darker the colour the more nutrients it contains, which is why kale is one of the most nutritious green leafy vegetables around. Kale is low in calories, fat-free and packed with nutrients and disease-fighting antioxidants. Kale's sturdy leaves make it a welcome addition to soups, stir-fries and salads.Comment by Administrator: How should the color of the leafy vegetables be?

9. Tea

The heart health benefits of tea are hard to beat. Not only is tea calorie-free, it's packed with disease-fighting antioxidants. Studies show that both green and black teas are effective at warding off heart disease. One study found that older adults who drank at least one and a half cups (375ml) of black tea per day were 43 per cent less likely to suffer a heart attack than non-tea drinkers. Likewise, studies show that drinking at least half a cup (125ml) of green tea every day may reduce the risk of high blood pressure by nearly half.

Need to know: The health benefits of tea are limited to green and black tea, and don't include white or herbal tea. For maximum health benefits, steer clear of tea with added sugar, such as bottled iced tea.Comment by Administrator: Adding sugar will minimize the benefits of tea!

10. Pistachios

Pistachios are a no-brainer when it comes to heart health. Not only are they packed with heart-healthy antioxidants, amino acids and unsaturated fat, they also contain more potassium, a mineral essential for proper heart function, than any other nut. Studies show that a diet rich in nuts, such as pistachios, can help protect against heart disease by lowering the risk of heart attack, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Need to know: While pistachios contain the least amount of calories per gram than any other nut, they should still be enjoyed in moderation. Replace other, less healthy foods in your diet with pistachios, but remember to limit yourself to a 30g (1 ounce) serving per day (about 45 nuts, or a small handful).

Article Report 002

Title: Top 10 Heart Healthy Foods

Newspaper: Gulf News

Date of publication: February 1, 2011

Pre-reading questions:

I think that this article will be about…

1. What are the top 10 healthy heart foods?

2. How should we eat these kinds?

3. What exceptions should we consider when dealing with such foods?

4. What kinds could be two-edged weapons if we misuse them?

5. How can we encourage ourselves to eat such kinds of foods?

6. Are vegetables and fruits the only healthy kinds of foods?

7. What portions should we take from each kind of food?

8. I think that the article might include some food kinds which I have never heard about!

9. I guess that the language of the article will be purely scientific and not easily understandable.

I have selected this article because…

I like biology and I am really interested in studying the chemical reaction inside the human body. Besides that, I have good skills in mathematics and physics and as a result, I am studying biomedical engineering now! So I like to read articles which talk about health and the human body. That is why I have selected this article particularly.

A brief summary / My Opinion

This article talks about the top 10 healthy foods for the human heart. I liked it and I think that the writer showed up the information properly. The article talks about the kind of food and then it gives a short note for each kind mentioned. In my point of view, these notes help readers knowing the exceptions in the information and how to avoid eating the kind of food in a bad way. Finally, I would have been happier if the writer was using easier words because I honestly found a lot of words unclear.

Extra Work

New Vocabulary List :

1. Decades: plural of decade which is a period of 10 years.

2. Folate: folate is a world derived from the Latin word (folium) which means “leaf”.

3. Banished: past of banish which means to make something be away.

4. : kind of fats which have a single double-bond in the fatty acid chain.

5. Coarse : an adjective which means harsh and rough.

6. Rejoice: a verb which means being glad, happy and in a good mood.

7. Flavonoids: any of a group of aromatic compounds that have two substituted benzene rings connected by a chain of three carbon atoms and an oxygen bridge and that include many common pigments.

8. Anti-inflammatory: Pharmacology. A medication, as aspirin, used to reduce inflammation.

9. Anti-clotting: a verb which means stopping and preventing blood coagulating.

10. Triglycerides: a chemical compound which is an ester obtained from glycerol by the esterification of three hydroxyl groups with fatty acids, naturally occurring in animal and vegetable tissues: an important energy source forming much of the fat stored by the body.

11. Clots: soft or fluid matter formed into a solid mass.

12. Lentils: the small orange or green seed of a pod-bearing plant , often used to make soups.

13. Bay: a separate compartment, area or room set aside for special purposes.

14. Legumes: any plant of the legume family, especially those used for feed, food, or as a soil-improving crop.

15. Stews: slowly cooked and simmered food.

16. Vessels: containers.

17. Fortified : strengthened and enriched food.

18. Flaxseed: also called linen seeds and means yielding linseed oil.

19. Alpha-linolenic : an organic compound found in many common vegetable oils.

20. Lignans : The lignans are a group of chemical compounds found in plants.

21. Inflammation: development of heat with pain, redness and swelling.

22. Lipids : any of a group of organic compounds that are greasy to the touch, insoluble in water, and soluble in alcohol and ether: lipids comprise the fats and other esters with analogous properties and constitute, with proteins and carbohydrates, the chief structural components of living cells.

23. Soluble: able to be dissolved or made liquid.

24. Sprinkled: an adjective which means scattered in small drops or bits.

25. Unsaturated : having a double or triple bond and capable of taking on elements or groups by direct chemical combination without the liberation of other elements or compounds, as ethylene, CH 2 =CH 2 ; undersaturated.

26. Pistachios: plural of pistachio and means a greenish not used as a flavoring for food.

27. Sturdy: an adjective which means strong and healthy.

Additional work

Putting new vocabulary list words in sentences :

1. Mubarak ruled Egypt for about three decades.

2. Foliate is not biologically active.

3. Ali was banished for treason.

4. Therefore, monounsaturated fatty acids have a higher melting point than polyunsaturated fatty acids due to the extra double bound they have.

5. This coat is made of coarse material.

6. They rejoiced at the victory.

7. Flavonoids are most commonly known for their antioxidant activity.

8. Herbs are used as treatments because they have a good anti-inflammatory quality.

9. My father uses anti-clotting drugs because he has heart disease.

10. High triglycerides are not usual in houses which have a small refrigerator!

11. Blood clots are important to make the treatment process run fast.

12. My mother always makes lentils for dinner.

13. Bay: Guantanamo bay is the freakiest prison in the world.

14. Legumes are very essential in every meal.

15. I have made some beef stew.

16. Blood vessels let blood reach its targets easily.

17. Sherry is a fortified wine.

18. Flaxseeds have two colors, brown and golden.

19. Alpha-linolenic acids are similar to the Omega-3 acids in fish oil.

20. Some researchers say that there is a role for Lignans in causing cancer.

21. Tonsillitis is inflammation of the tonsils.

22. Ether, chloroform, acetone & benzene are some famous examples of lipids.

23. This dye is soluble in water.

24. Ahmad sprinkled salt over his food.

25. Antioxidants can protect unsaturated fat from lipid peroxidation.

26. I like eating pistachios at the cinema!

27. Although Khaled is small, he is sturdy.

Extra questions:

1. How does this article relate to my life?

This article could be my starting point to a healthy style of eating and it helped me to choose the right things to keep my heart safe.

2. What have I learned from this article?

a. We should take care of what we are eating.

b. We should invest in a nutrition specialist to know the right portions of every kind of food.

c. Some kinds of food could be two-edged weapons if we eat them in a wrong way.

d. Having a healthy eating style could be annoying, but it is worthy to try.

3. Would I read more similar articles?

Yes, because such articles consolidate the principles of healthy food in order to make me healthier.

4. Would I like to find out more about this topic?

No, the information that the writer included is sufficient for me.

5. Would I e-mail this to a friend?

No, I think that the unclear scientific expressions will force the reader to search for their meanings and my friends would probably dislike this!

6. Would I like to discuss it in the class?

Yes, because this will let me share this useful information with my colleagues.

Pictures: