Great Red Foods for Heart Health-Part 2

Selecting and eating nutrient dense red fruits and veggies helps protect and improve heart health. Eating an assortment of colorful produce, legumes and beans, nuts and seeds, and whole grains each week is key to meeting our nutritional/energy needs.

This is Part 2 of this series on red as a color indicator for heart health.

Look below for tips and ideas about red foods that pack a color-rich punch, and ways each contributes to enhancing heart health.

Note: This post is provided for entertainment and informational purposes only. For medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, consult a professional.

The first red powerhouse food is

Cherries: Cherries are loaded with polyphenols, a plant compound. This substance protects the heart from cell damage, and reduces inflammation. Some studies indicate those who gained polyphenols in their diets from foods like cherries had a lower risk of heart disease. Cherries are also an excellent source of potassium, which regulates blood pressure and helps maintain a healthy heart. See "6 Colorful Summer Fruit Superstars" for more about cherries.

Tomatoes: Bright red tomatoes can be enjoyed raw or cooked. Cooking tomatoes increases the availability of lycopene. Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant, and it can reduce oxidative stress or inflammation. It protects against atherosclerosis (plaque buildup in arteries). It improves endothelial function by helping blood vessels function (dilate), and potentially lowers blood pressure and reduces oxidation. Other heart boosters in tomatoes include potassium, vitamins B and E, and flavonoids. Add a drop of olive oil to tomato sauce, and cook (simmer for at least a half hour). A small amount of healthy oil (fat) makes it easier for your body to absorb the nutrients in tomatoes.

Red Apples: Red apples are crunchy fun food, and consuming one or two raw whole apples a day (including the skin) can reduce the risk of stroke, high blood pressure, obesity, and heart disease. The antioxidants, especially quercetin found in the skin, can help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and reduce inflammation. Apples provide soluble fiber which helps lower LDL cholesterol, and  antioxidants like flavonoids and potassium, which reduces plaque buildup, lowers blood pressure, and protects blood vessels from damage. See “Tempting and Easy Baked Apple Recipe,” for a simple yet tasty recipe made from apples. 

Red Peppers: Red pepper may be called bell peppers, red bell peppers, or sweet peppers, and have a sweet yet earthy taste. They are fully mature versions of the more bitter green bell peppers. Capsicum or hot chili (or chilli) peppers have a spicy flavor. When it comes to preventing heart disease, spicy foods may be exactly what your body needs. Studies show that capsicum in hot peppers can reduce inflammation and decreases your chances of getting heart disease. 

Red radishes: Radishes are a good source of dietary nitrates, which the body converts to nitric oxide. Nitric oxide relaxes and widens blood vessels, a process called vasodilation, which helps lower blood pressure. This spicy flavored round red-skinned veggie is rich in dietary fiber, and helps manage high cholesterol and is beneficial for overall cardiovascular health. Radishes contain potassium, an essential mineral that plays a vital role in heart function and helps regulate blood pressure by improving the body's electrolyte balance. A study published in the Journal of Functional Foods found that radish extracts can reduce inflammation and have anti-atherosclerotic effects. This suggests they may help prevent plaque buildup in arteries, a condition that can lead to heart disease.

In case you missed it, see 5 additional red food powerhouses in  Great Red Foods for Heart Health-Part 1.

Incorporating a variety of red fruits and vegetables into your diet is a great way to support a healthy ticker. 

How many of these red foods do you eat and how often do you eat them? Please comment about that below.

How do you like to prepare your favorite red fruit or vegetable? Please share your ideas  below.

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