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The Best Food to Reduce High Cholesterol and Lower Blood Pressure

7 minute read


Heart attacks, hypertension, stroke, and cholesterol are metabolic disorders that may have far-reaching repercussions if they are allowed to develop unchecked.

That's why it is absolutely imperative that they are nipped in the bud, in order to ensure that they neither proliferate nor develop to their full dangerous potential.

Several intervention mechanisms that may be employed to accomplish this goal exist. One common and extremely effective therapy for heart and cardiovascular health focuses on reducing chronic inflammation.

There are numerous lifestyle changes proven to heal chronic inflammation including, avoiding antibiotics, antacids, and NSAIDs, quitting smoking, and taking an anti-inflammatory supplement that contains a bio-available form of turmeric curcumin.

Another incredibly effective anti-inflammatory therapy is the dietary approach, dates to be specific.

It's a Date

Dates are fruits that are predominantly found in the deserts of the Middle East and have, since time immemorial, been the staple food for the inhabitants of that region.

Dates contain plenty of healthy nutrients that may be used to mitigate and combat many metabolic disorders. The first step, of course, is to include them in a heart-healthy diet.

They also do not build up or accumulate in the blood vessels and are thus unable to cause dietary disorders. They may be eaten whole or soaked in water, left to stay overnight and consumed the following day. All in all, dates are a powerful food.


8 Powerful Health Benefits of Dates

1. Rich Source of Iron

Date palm fruit contains plenty of iron, a fact that makes it all the more desirable for pregnant women, anemic persons, and growing children.

Iron is chiefly responsible for enhancing the flow of oxygen, aiding the development of hemoglobin, and the flow of blood in the cardiovascular system. Just 100 grams of date typically contain 0.9 mg of iron.

Daily intake of dates has the capability of supplying up to 11% of the required amounts of iron mineral in the body. Irregular heartbeats and other health issues related to iron deficiency may be more easily kept in check by the consumption of dates.

2. Prevents Diarrhea

Diarrhea is a medical condition characterized by the abnormal and frequent discharge of watery stool, mainly as a result of bacterial infections, consumption of allergic food, and low potassium levels, among others. It dehydrates the body, weakens its victims, and may lead to premature death in infants if not controlled in time.

Dates are very rich in potassium (100 gm of dates contain up to 656 mg of potassium) as well as fiber. By regularly consuming dates, potassium and fiber are able to help keep bowel movements more normal.

3. Soothes Constipation

Constipation is the difficulty in relieving oneself, i.e., emptying the bowels of waste, and is mainly typified by the release of hardened or broken stool.

Dates have the ability to greatly soothe constipation because they contain plenty of fiber, which aids in digestion.

When dates are soaked in water and left to stay overnight, they provide the needed fiber and laxatives when taken in the morning.

4. Controls Body Weight

Given the fact that dates contain little to no cholesterol, their continual and frequent intake has no negative side effects at all as regards weight gain.

Moreover, their nutrients are easily broken down by the body’s metabolic faculties and, as such, do not accumulate and cause weight gain.

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It is worth noting, though, that they do contain plenty of sugar, which may alter the metabolic equations if and when eaten in excess.

5. Regulates Cholesterol

Cholesterol contains plenty of low-density lipoproteins. This is a substance that is chiefly responsible for the hardening of blood plasma that results in blood clots.

Dates have plenty of minerals that have the ability to cleanse the blood and rid it of this harmful substance, thus preventing any clots from developing. Their fiber content also helps in lowering cholesterol.

6. Strengthens the Heart

The heart is the engine of the circulatory system. It primarily pumps blood through the arteries which further distribute it to the entire body.

Obviously, heart health is essential. Several nutrients are particularly necessary for good heart health. These include potassium, magnesium, vitamin E, and beta-carotene. Dates contain all of them.

Moreover, dates also prevent blood clots and enhance the flow of blood in the vessels.

7. Regulates Blood Pressure

Blood pressure refers to the amount of force that blood plasma exerts on the walls of blood vessels during circulation. High blood pressure (hypertension) may rupture the vessels and lead to internal bleeding, among numerous other potential health problems.

Dates contain plenty of potassium and magnesium as well as low sodium. Both potassium and magnesium are excellent in facilitating the flow of blood in the vessels and reducing high blood pressure. Excess sodium, on the other hand, increases blood pressure.

8. Prevents Stroke

A stroke occurs when the flow of blood to the brain is hindered or impeded. This deprives the brain tissues of oxygen and other nutrients, which may lead to paralysis or eventual death of the brain if not mitigated in time.

Dates contain plenty of potassium, significantly improving the nervous system and facilitating the normal flow of blood in the body.

To be sure of keeping this condition at bay, it is strongly recommended that dates be consumed on a regular basis.

The Bottom Line

It is important to note that the sum total benefits of dates extend beyond the eight that are discussed above. This is a fruit that any person who seriously wishes to leverage the benefits of a healthy heart clearly has no choice but to consider incorporating into their diet.

Furthermore, it is cheaper compared to tropical fruits. It also has a very long shelf-life, unlike some of the more common fruits, such as bananas and oranges, that get stale within a very short duration of time after harvesting. This means that it may be bought in large quantities and stored in refrigerators for future use.

Any way you cut it, consuming dates provides innumerable health benefits. If you want to ramp up your whole-body health, it would be wise to give this fruit a try!

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