World Heart Day is globally held on the last Sunday of September each year to inform people about cardiovascular diseases, which are the biggest cause of death worldwide , claiming 17.1 million lives a year. This year,it falls on Sunday, September 27. Risk factors for heart disease and stroke include raised blood pressure, smoking, inadequate intake of fruit and vegetables, overweight, obesity and physical inactivity.
Dietary advice for reducing heart disease risk includes eating a balanced diet with less saturated fat from red meats, more fresh fruits and vegetables, more fish, less sugar, more fiber and for many people, fewer total calories. We can reduce our chances of developing heart disease by eating a diet that is high in fruit and vegetable content. Add these foods to your diet to make your cardiovascular system more healthy
TOMATOES:
Tomatoes are packed with vitamins and lycopene, which has been shown to reduce heart disease risk. Add thick slices of tomatoes to sandwiches and salads or enjoy tomato sauce on whole wheat pasta. In fact, cooked tomato sauce and canned tomato sauce that you buy in the store both contain more lycopene than raw tomatoes. The red colour of tomatoes is due to the antioxidant lycopene, research has linked eating plenty of tomatoes, especially cooked, canned, pastes and sauces with a reduced risk of heart disease. Tomatoes are a source of antioxidant vitamins C and E, flavonoids and potassium, which may help to regulate blood pressure.
