How’s it going, Bestie viewers? No one enjoys bland, boring food. That’s why
we add in several herbs and spices for flavor. But do you know spices can do so much more? When
balanced with heart-healthy foods, some herbs and spices can clean and unclog your arteries,
lowering the risk of heart disease. In today’s video, we’ll highlight spices
and herbs you can eat to look after your arteries and keep your heart healthy. Is saffron a healthy
seasoning? Can ginger add a heart-healthy zing to meals? We’ll discuss all this AND more…
You may have heard about atherosclerosis, a disease related to congested arteries.
Fatty deposits on the arterial walls lead to this condition.
Your arteries tighten and blood flow to the heart and other regions of your body gets restricted.
It increases the risk of heart disease, heart attack, and even stroke. According to statistics,
atherosclerosis is the cause of 50% of all mortalities, strokes, and Alzheimer's disease.
However, the good news is that there's a lot you can improve in your diet
to reduce your risk of atherosclerosis. Some of these items can also help you
reverse fat accumulation if you already have it.
Add cinnamon to your food, and give your heart a natural boost.
Cinnamon is popularly known for its heart-healthy properties. The high amount of fiber and calcium
in cinnamon transports bile salts out of your body. Eventually, your body has to create extra
bile salts by breaking down cholesterol. This process leads to decreased cholesterol levels,
which protect the heart and arteries from blockages and atherosclerosis.
In one study, having only one tablespoon of cinnamon is connected to a considerable decrease
in LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels. The spice also has a high amount of
cinnamaldehyde (sin-uh-mal-duh-hyde), which helps to avoid blood clots.
Use ginseng to add some punch and heart nutrition to your food.
Many of you might be hearing this name for the first time. Well, ginseng is a traditional herbal
medication that has been used to treat various ailments for over 2000 years. It’s one of the most
valued medicinal herbs in Japan, China, and Korea. Ginseng is a natural blood thinner. A recent study
shows that it helps decrease the risk of heart attack and other heart diseases by reducing
arterial stiffness and unclogging the arteries. The strong herb effectively lowers cholesterol,
reduces pressure, and serves as a natural vasodilator (vass-oh-die-later).
Rosemary is another flavorful herb that can prevent plaque formation in your arteries.
This strong herb contains rosmarinic acid,
a natural component that is excellent for your heart health. Rosmarinic acid slows down the
course of plaque formation in the arteries by impacting your lipid metabolism and inflammation.
Also, if hypertension bothers you, this herb is miraculous. Rosemary prevents the formation of
the angiotensin (anj-io-tens-in) II hormone. This hormone causes artery inflammation, accelerates
atherosclerosis, and constricts the blood vessels. In one study, rosemary was shown to dilate the
blood arteries. The herb also contains a high amount of vitamin B and C,
which serve as antioxidants to protect your heart from oxidative stress and blood clots.
Did you know you can keep your heart strong with tarragon?
If you’re a fan of French cuisine, you’ll be familiar with tarragon. It’s a common herb that
contains rutin (roo-tin), which strengthens your blood vessels and helps remove plaque
from the arteries. Also, the properties of this ingredient suggest it could be
used to treat cardiovascular disease. Including this herb in your diet will
help decrease total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglyceride, and glucose levels in your blood.
Simply take one teaspoon every day to reduce "bad" cholesterol and boost
the "good" kind. Now you know why the French have such low heart disease rates!
If spicy is your cup of tea, go all-in with those chili peppers the next time you have the chance!
Yes, you heard that right! Research discovered that people who ate chili
pepper had 61% less risk of dying from strokes. Many people don’t
realize that chili peppers are good for your heart and arteries.
All these health advantages come from capsaicin, the molecule that gives chili peppers their
heat. Capsaicin can prevent blood clots, control blood pressure, and lower bad cholesterol levels.
But wait, don’t just start filling your mouth with chili. It will feel
like your head’s about to explode! Any healthy ingredient requires moderation.
Let’s see how black pepper can improve your heart health.
Black pepper is a popular spice all over the world. The crisp,
spicy taste of this ingredient can complement a variety of meals.
Black pepper contains several heart-healthy properties. It’s high in antioxidants,
which help clear your arteries by lowering triglycerides and LDL cholesterol levels.
Clogged arteries can lead to poor blood circulation, limiting blood flow to your
heart. Piperine, a chemical found in black pepper, helps block the adhesion of the
cells that lead to clogged arteries, resulting in therapeutic benefits on atherosclerosis.
Want to know more? Include ginger in your food prep to make your heart happy.
You may easily overlook how beneficial ginger can be. It’s a fantastic spice for keeping your
heart in good shape. For centuries, ginger has been used in traditional medicines to
treat several cardiovascular diseases. But, how does ginger accomplish this?
Ginger contains a variety of bioactive compounds and antioxidants that help prevent heart attacks
and atherosclerosis. Studies have shown that adding ginger to your diet can help
prevent plaque formation in your arteries. This delightful spice is a natural vasodilator.
It relaxes the arteries in your body, and helps the blood flow through them easier.
Wondering how to include more ginger in your meals? Ginger is extremely versatile
and can be used in a lot of recipes. One of the easiest ways to increase your ginger
consumption is to take a daily ginger juice shot, either in the morning or before bed.
So, how else can you unclog your arteries naturally? Will white willow bark help?
Have you ever been prescribed aspirin by your doctor? Here’s a fact you may not know. The
modern-day aspirin comes from a herbal extract found in the willow tree's bark.
This extract has been used to treat pain and inflammation for generations.
White willow bark is known to improve blood circulation,
which may help reduce your risk of a heart attack or stroke.
It’s a natural blood thinner that prevents blood clots from forming in your arteries.
Salicin (sal-iss-in), a major component in white willow bark, offers medicinal benefits.
Bring freshness and heart health to your dining room with parsley.
If you’ve been sprinkling parsley onto your meals, don’t stop! It’s
high in key micronutrients that help prevent atherosclerosis and other cardiac problems.
Parsley also has a lot of nitrate,
which might help the blood flow through your arteries. It’s also strong in folate,
a B vitamin that protects your heart and may lower your risk of heart disease.
Use turmeric to clean your arteries.
Have you ever wondered how Asian curries get that beautiful color? Well, it’s all
thanks to turmeric! We can’t talk about heart health without at least mentioning turmeric.
It’s been associated with the treatment of inflammatory illnesses, cancer, diabetes,
obesity, and atherosclerosis. This yellow spice stops the
arteries from hardening and keeps fat from depositing. Curcumin, which is in turmeric,
has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It can also help reduce inflammation and
damage to the artery walls, which are major causes of plaque formation and blood clots.
Want to know what happens to your heart when you eat garlic regularly?
Garlic and its preparation for meals have long been used to prevent cardiovascular problems,
including atherosclerosis and hypertension.
You might not like the smell or flavor of garlic, but your heart definitely loves it.
It contains allicin, a chemical that stops plaque from collecting in your arteries.
It’s quite fascinating that garlic supplements can help decrease blood pressure. Researchers
have discovered that lowering your blood pressure by up to 40% reduced your chances
of getting cardiovascular disease. This spice has also been known to soften up the arteries
in people who have coronary artery disease. Just make sure you’re using garlic only once
in a while. You don’t want to have it with every single meal.
These all sound accessible, right? Well,
here’s more. Use hawthorn to treat your arteries and heart with care.
Hawthorn, a shrubby plant, has been used in traditional medicine for generations.
Its heart-protective elements target a lot of different diseases related to atherosclerosis.
Hawthorn has been used to treat heart issues such as irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure,
chest discomfort, artery hardening, and heart failure. In certain studies, hawthorn has proven
to help lower blood pressure, which protects your arteries and reduces the chance of plaque buildup.
The components of this shrubby herb can help expand your arteries, improve blood flow,
and protect arteries from oxidative damage. Quercetin and flavonoids are two other elements
of hawthorn that possess antioxidant qualities. In the end, your heart will be relieved.
The beautiful smelling saffron offers your heart so much.
Saffron is one of the best spices for your heart health. This is all thanks to its
cholesterol-lowering and anti-inflammatory qualities. Crocetin (cro-sit-in), an active
component in saffron, can help you lower your cholesterol levels and prevent atherosclerosis.
You can decrease your cholesterol by up to 50% if you add saffron to your diet.
If you’re a fan of tea, try drinking more with saffron in it. It’s rich in
antioxidants that’ll help you to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Saffron also contains flavonoids which offer additional protection to your heart and arteries.
It also has amazing anti-inflammatory qualities, which, again, are good for your heart health.
Your diet always has an important influence when it comes to improving atherosclerosis
and cardiovascular disease. Let’s keep the conversation going with a couple
more health-related videos, shall we? Here’s what you need to know…
Check out 21 foods that boost blood circulation.
Or how about 8 signs your body gives you a month before a heart attack?
Go ahead, click one. Or better yet, watch both, and learn more about how to care for your heart
and arteries. Have you tried any of these spices? Let us know in the comments below!