Cardiologists reveal the best fruits to eat to improve heart health

Health

By Tracy Swartz

They really like these fruit berries.

Fruits and vegetables! – are rich in vitamins and antioxidants that may reduce the risk of stroke and heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States. The American Heart Association recommends consuming 4½ cups of fruit every day.

The fruits “provide cardiovascular benefits such as reducing high blood pressure and reducing atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries,” Dr. Deepak Vivek, a cardiologist at Orlando Health in Florida, told Parade the Week last.

Since fruits have different nutritional values ​​and health benefits, Vivek and other cardiologists reveal their favorite foods to improve heart health.

Vivek said he loves apples because they are a good source of antioxidants, fiber, vitamin C and potassium – and they also have a low glycemic index, so they help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes .

He added that he cuts an apple for salads or eats it whole as a snack, especially before playing pickleball.

“I find it gives me the energy to play and also prevents muscle cramps,” Vivek explained.

Dr. Sushant Khaire, a cardiologist at Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare in Memphis, Tennessee, told Parade that he prefers bananas over bananas because they are rich in dietary fiber, vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium, magnesium and in antioxidants.

“Dietary fiber aids digestion, vitamin C strengthens the immune system, and vitamin B6 is important for brain and nerve development,” Khaire noted.

Dr. Jennifer Mieres, a professor of cardiology at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra Northwell in Hempstead, told Today.com last year that she always eats fruit — like an apple, pear or cherries, “anything something that has fiber” – like a mid-afternoon snack because it’s filling and helps protect against heart disease.

Fiber has been shown to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, two major risk markers for heart disease.

Dr. Satjit Bhusri, a cardiologist at Upper East Side Cardiology in Manhattan, said unsalted nuts and dried fruits were his favorite snacks.

“Fruits like blueberries, raspberries, acai berries and goji berries contain the highest levels of antioxidants, perfect for protecting your heart,” he said.

Berries are also the fruit that Dr. Joy Gelbman, a cardiologist at Weill Cornell Medicine, eats most often.

She touted their antioxidant properties and fiber content to Parade.