The heart is the most important part of the body. And, not all know, but a lot of the times, people neglect taking their heart health seriously. Which results in strokes and even a heart attack. If your heart is not functioning the way it is supposed to, then you can be prone to many kinds of cardiovascular conditions and even sudden fatalities. The best way to avoid such mishaps is by taking care of yourself.

Heart and diet
Many wonder how can food and diet relate to the heart. There is a clear connection between the food you eat and the heart. When we load our bodies with junk food and unhealthy fare like excessively oily food, packaged food with too much salt and other ‘store bought’ food items, we also expose our bodies to the threat of choked arteries. Much of the grease and salt is not thrown out like the other dietary elements that enter the body. As we grow older, this accumulated levels of toxins can lead to elevated cholesterol levels, which leave us with heart disease, or at least the risk of it.

Start now
It is a good idea to take care of the heart. This means, making lifestyle changes, like changing your food habits, setting up an exercise routine, quitting addictions like smoking and drinking, balancing stress at home and work–among a variety of other things. But, we have made it easy for you. Here are heart recipes you can start with, because it’s the small steps towards a healthy heart, that matters.

Fish
The omega-3 fatty acids that can be found in fish like trout, mackerel and many others, help keep the arteries clean. This is also an essential fat that keeps the metabolism in good order so that the toxins are routinely removed and processed in a fast way. The nutrients present in the fish makes it a good cholesterol, which keeps the heart in good health. And, fishes are also much easier to digest as compared to red meat. All of this makes fish one of the best heart-healthy foods.

Fruits
There are a number of dietary fibers that are present in all kinds of fruit. This makes it an absolutely imperative ingredient that we must all have on our diet chart. These dietary fibers are important because they clear out the toxins in the body and even take away the bad cholesterol when they do so. So, one should have at least two snacks or helpings of fruit in a span of 24 hours.

Vegetables
Much like fruit, the vegetables around us are also rich in dietary fibers. Most vegetables also have plenty of iron and other nutrients which give us the right dose of good cholesterol that makes them the best heart healthy food.

Beans
Dark beans like black beans and kidney beans are excellent for heart as they have a high level of fibers. Also, these legumes can give you much energy without adding to the fatty element that one usually gets with meat. You can make curries, wraps, baked dishes and salads with beans to regularly consume this wholesome food. Beans are hence one of the top heart-healthy foods for the heart and overall good health.