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If you’re overweight, inactive, or have a family history of heart disease, you have higher risk of developing heart problems in the future. Eating some of the best heart healthy foods for men and making healthy lifestyle choices is the best way to lower your heart disease risk and boost your life expectancy, so you can be there for your friends and family when they need you the most.
As a rule, choose:
Plant oils
Plant foods rich in dietary fat
Fish and fish oil
Fiber-rich fruits and vegetables
Legumes, nuts, and seeds
Whole grains
Including the best heart healthy foods for men in daily meal plans is just the beginning. The Fit Father Project 30X (FF30X) is a healthy eating and exercise plan specifically designed for busy men over 40, and has helped thousands of men reach and maintain healthy weights to lower heart disease risks.
Heart Healthy Foods for Men #1: Fish
Fish is loaded with protein, which boosts satiety and helps you shed unwanted weight and body fat. Maintaining a healthy weight significantly lowers your risk of developing high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease. Protein also helps you maintain lean muscle mass. fish trout heart healthy foods for menAnother component of fish that protects against heart disease is omega-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) found in fattier fish, say researchers who conducted a review published in 2016 in Current Treatment Options in Cardiovascular Medicine. The researchers suggest consuming at least two servings of fish weekly to reap heart-healthy benefits.
Fish rich in omega-3s include:
Salmon
Mackerel
Tuna
Herring
Halibut
Trout
Whitefish
Sardines
Anchovies
You can also obtain DHA and EPA from fish oil supplements.
Heart Healthy Foods for Men #2: Seaweed
There are numerous reasons seaweed, also known as algae or microalgae, protects you against heart disease. Like fish, it’s a source of omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA. Seaweed is also a good source of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants called polyphenols. sea weed heart healthy foods for menA 2018 review published in Marine Drugs found that polyphenols found in marine plants, such as seaweed, improve heart-related conditions, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and other chronic disease risk factors.
The researchers say new medications made from marine plants may prove effective for heart disease and related conditions in the future.
Eat seaweed wrapped around sushi, on salads, in soups or casseroles, blended in protein smoothies, or as seaweed flakes with your favorite heart-healthy recipes. Vegan algae oil supplements are also a rich source of DHA and EPA .
Heart Healthy Foods for Men #3: Flax Seeds
Flax seeds are some of the best heart healthy foods for men because these nutrient-dense seeds are loaded with fiber and omega-3 fat alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which your body converts to EPA and DHA. A 2015 study published in BioMed Research International found that ALA protects against heart disease and stroke. One reason is the fiber in flax seeds is known to reduce blood cholesterol.
Heart Healthy Foods for Men #4: Seitan
Seitan is a plant protein made from wheat gluten, and often used in place of red meat among vegan dieters. When eaten in place of red and processed meats, seitan helps protect against heart disease. seitan heart healthy foods for menSeitan provides just over 20 grams of protein per serving but no cholesterol or saturated fat, which is why it’s a suitable replacement for red meat.
By: Erin Coleman, B.S. - Nutritional Science, R.D.,
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