Protect your Heart
Everyone here at Peaches wants you to be the happiest and healthiest version of yourself. We love fresh food that’s good for you and your family and delicious all at the same time. Which is why this month we’re having a look at good food for the heart. Sure, we’re also about those food trends like acai or coconut water in a can and we can never say no to an antipasto platter, but it’s also really important to make sure you’re looking after your health and putting the good stuff into your body to ensure a healthy future.
One of the best ways to do this is to add antioxidants to your diet. Antioxidants neutralise naturally produced free radicals, which have been linked to heart disease and certain cancers. So just to confirm, we love antioxidants! We’ve compiled a list of some of the best foods that will keep that precious heart of yours ticking.
Oranges
Oranges are awesome! These spherical, juicy wonders are jam packed with Vitamin-C, which is amazing at neutralising free radicals, and they also contain flavonoid hesperidin, which aids in keeping blood pressure at bay. Try cutting up a few orange wedges for the kids’ lunchboxes to make sure they’re upping their intake.
Blueberries
There is so much right with blueberries. They’re low in calories but jam packed with nutrients and have the highest antioxidant capacity out of all the fruit and veg that we commonly eat. No joke, blueberries are the bomb. So go and get yourselves some blueberries to add to your morning yoghurt and granola or in your morning smoothie.
Almonds
A great snack for those of us on the go, studies show that almonds help prevent heart disease and heart attacks. The monounsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants that are found in almonds help to reduce inflammation and aid in artery health. And the really great thing is almonds can go in/on anything PLUS there’s always almond milk to switch to for your morning coffee!
Broccoli
It’s always hard to get the kids to eat their greens, but these ones are worth the hassle. Broccoli contains anti-inflammatory properties that prevent blood vessel linings being damaged. It’s also a powerful antioxidant and contains an incredibly concentrated amount of beta-carotine, another important antioxidant. So jazz up those little trees and get them on your plate!
Green Tea
Surely by now we’ve all heard about the endless benefits of drinking green tea as well as it’s remarkable caffeine levels so if you’re looking to kick the coffee, this drink is the perfect health supplement. But what’s often overlooked is that the humble cup of green tea is great for the heart. It contains our favourite, flavonoids, a powerful antioxidant so you can say goodbye to those free radicles. So if you’re needing a midday pick me up, look no further than a freshly brewed cut of green tea.
Avocado
And we’ve saved the best until last. Everyone’s favourite breakfast side, the avocado is full of monounsaturated fatty acid, which has been linked to reducing inflammation and has been linked to reducing your risk of heart disease. So the next time you’re out to breakfast and you see a side of avo for an extortionate price, give yourself the all clear to drop that cash and just tell your bank account that you’re doing it for your heart. Or just head down to Peaches and pick them up cheap and completely guilt free!
That’s a wrap on our favourite heart healthy foods, all of which can be found fresh and ready to go at Peaches Fresh Food. Pop in and ask any of our knowledgeable and friendly staff about even more products that are jam-packed with antioxidants that are good for the heart and start looking after yourself today!
