7 Spices You Can Add In Your Diet To Boost Heart Health

Heart is working around the clock for you. Your heart is the most important muscle in your body because it pumps blood and oxygen to all of your organs. Eating healthy can help lower your risk of heart disease. A heart-healthy diet includes foods that are low in saturated and trans fats, added sugars, and sodium (salt). Heart-healthy items include high-fiber foods (whole grains, fruits, and vegetables) and certain fats (like the fats in olive oil and fish). There are some indian spices also that you can add to your diet to prevent and manage cardiovascular diseases.

Spices are rich in antioxidants, and scientific studies suggest that they are also potent inhibitors of tissue damage and inflammation caused by high levels of blood sugar and circulating lipids. Spices have very low calorie content and are relatively inexpensive, they are reliable sources of antioxidants and other potential bioactive compounds in diet.

Chili Pepper

Chillli peppers lend their immunity-boosting vitamin C content and certain properties that may keep blood pressure level in check. People who eat chili peppers on a regular basis appear to lower their risk of dying from heart disease, a new study finds. The study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, also found that people who ate foods containing chilli pepper at least four times a week had lower death rates overall, across the follow-up period of eight years on average.

Turmeric

Turmeric was used as an anti-inflammatory agent to treat gas, colic, toothaches, chest pains, and menstrual difficulties. This spice was also used to help with stomach and liver problems, to heal wounds and lighten scars, and as a cosmetic. Turmeric reduced cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations while increasing HDL cholesterol, within 4 weeks. Further evidence indicates that it reduces the oxidation of LDL, blood glucose and renal lesions in diabetes.

Black Pepper

Black pepper is considered as the king of spices, as it fetches the highest return as judged from the volume of international trade. Black pepper or its active principle piperine has been experimentally demonstrated by a number of independent investigators to possess diverse physiological effects. Black pepper has been reported to influence lipid metabolism predominantly by mobilization of fatty acids. High blood cholesterol is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, which is the leading cause of death worldwide. Black pepper extract has been studied in animals for its potential to reduce cholesterol levels. Black pepper has demonstrated cholesterol-lowering effects in rodent studies and is believed to boost the absorption of potential cholesterol-lowering supplements. Black pepper, being rich in containing vanadium in it thus elicits cardiac functional recovery in myocardial infarction and pressure overload–induced hypertrophy.

Celery Seeds

Celery seeds are commonly used in the Mediterranean region. Usually added to herbal tea, celery seeds are known to combat inflammation and high blood pressure.Celery seed shows promise in the treatment of high blood pressure, according to a preliminary study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food in 2013. Some practitioners of Chinese medicine use celery and celery extracts to reduce blood pressure.Celery seeds are nutrient dense and particularly rich in calcium, manganese, and iron. They’re low in calories and provide relatively equal amounts of carbs, protein, and fat.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon belongs to genus Cinnamomum, family Lauraceae which is distributed in India, Egypt, China, Srilanka and Australia. Cinnamon leaves and bark are used extensively as spices in food or to produce essential oils. Packed with fibre and calcium, cinnamon is great for the heart. Since the fibre and calcium and help transport bile salts outside the body, the body produces more bile salts for other bodily functions by breaking down cholesterol. This directly translates to lower cholesterol levels which protect the heart from blockages and the arteries from atherosclerosis.

Cardamom

Cardamom is a spice with an intense, slightly sweet flavor that some people compare to mint. The seeds, oils and extracts of cardamom are thought to have impressive medicinal properties and have been used in traditional medicine for centuries. Cardamom may be helpful for people with high blood pressure. In one study, researchers gave three grams of cardamom powder a day to 20 adults who were newly diagnosed with high blood pressure. After 12 weeks, blood pressure levels had significantly decreased to the normal range. Researchers also suspect that the spice may lower blood pressure due to its diuretic effect, meaning it can promote urination to remove water that builds up in your body, for example around your heart.

Garlic

Garlic has long been associated with health benefits – from curing a cold to lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Garlic contains vitamins C and B6, manganese and selenium, but it's a chemical called allicin, a type of antioxidant, which is thought to be responsible for its positive effects. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is one of the most important drivers of these diseases. Garlic is often advised to heart patients as it is loaded with anti-microbial and anti-oxidant properties present in its compound - allicin. Eating garlic regularly may help lower cholesterol as well as blood sugar levels. Garlic supplements are known to boost the function of the immune system. For those with high cholesterol, garlic supplements appear to reduce total and/or LDL cholesterol by about 10–15% .