Since heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, it is no wonder why people want to protect their ticker and reduce their risk of developing this condition.
Since heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, it is no wonder why people want to protect their ticker and reduce their risk of developing this condition.
And while genetics can play a role in heart disease development, lifestyle and diet choices can certainly reduce your risk in many cases. From participating in regular physical activity to avoiding smoking cigarettes, many factors that we have control over can impact our heart health.
What Can You Eat To Support Your Heart Health?
Among all of the things we can do to support heart health, dietary choices may be the most important. According to the American Heart Association, eating the following foods can support heart health:
-whole grains
-fruits and vegetables
-skinless poultry and fish
-nuts and legumes
-non tropical vegetable oils
And while including these foods, avoiding fried foods, highly processed foods, and overly salted foods should be avoided.
Do Dates Fit Into A Heart Healthy Diet?
When people choose to eat to support their heart health, the usual suspects often appear. From olive oil to veggie-rich salads, many people are well-aware of which foods are considered to be heart-healthy.
But dates are a less-known food that can offer some amazing cardiovascular benefits in a delicious way. Free from saturated fat and sodium — two nutrients that can wreak havoc on your heart health – these naturally sweet fruits can be a wonderful addition to a heart-healthy diet.
Dates are a powerhouse when it comes to heart-healthy nutrients. Naturally containing calcium to fiber, these little fruits are chock-full of important cardiovascular-friendly vitamins and minerals. And since they are naturally sweet with no-added-sugars, noshing on them is a perfect solution for satisfying a sweet tooth while not causing any potential harm.
And when it comes to naturally reducing triglycerides, eating dates can offer a unique benefit.
Dates – The Surprising Fruit That Can Lower Triglyceride Levels
Triglycerides are a type of fat found in your blood. If triglyceride levels get too high, the risk for outcomes like heart disease and obesity increase.
In one study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, when people who ate 100 grams of medjool dates (about 7 dates) every day for 4 weeks, triglyceride levels did not increase, regardless of what else they were eating.
While researchers did not pinpoint why dates had this positive effect, it may be because of the polyphenols that this fruit contains. Found in many plant-based foods, polyphenols are nutrients that offer health benefits. And since intake of polyphenols have been linked to reduced triglyceride levels, noshing on dates can offer a unique heart-healthy benefit that other sweet treats can’t hold a candle to.
Should You Eat Dates To Support Your Heart Health?
Along with a diet rich in a variety of heart-healthy foods like fruits, veggies, beans, nuts, and lean protein, adding dates to your diet can help you support your heart in a sweet and satisfying way. Whether you use them as a sweetener when baking, as a vessel for your nut butter, or sprinkled on top of a salad, dates can be a simple addition to an overall healthy diet. So when you are planning out your day, be sure to give dates some love in your meal planning to support your heart health deliciously.
