According to this doctor, this
fermented food is often overlooked, but you should add it to your shopping
basket.
Heart disease is a significant problem that takes the lives of
over 700,000 Americans each year. According to the CDC, roughly 805,000 people
in the United States experience a heart attack each year, although coronary
artery disease is the most frequent type of heart disease.
When it comes to heart disease, your food is a significant risk
factor. High cholesterol levels can be caused by eating a lot of saturated and
trans fats, which can harm the health of your arteries by causing plaque
buildup. High blood pressure, a lack of physical exercise, diabetes, and being
obese are all significant risk factors for heart disease.
We wanted to learn more about the types of food that are
healthiest for your heart because nutrition and lifestyle are so closely linked
to heart health. We spoke with Dr William Davis, a cardiologist and the author
of the New York Times best-selling book Super Gut.
While there are many heart-healthy foods to choose from, Dr Davis
wants readers to pay attention to one. "My favourite heart-healthy food,
which many people overlook, is kimchi, a traditional fermented cabbage popular
in Korea and often eaten at every meal."
Continue reading to learn more about how kimchi can benefit your
heart.
How fermented food can help your heart
People don't typically think about fermented foods when thinking
of heart-healthy foods, but Dr Davis says you should.
"The fermentation process often leads to the existence of
very beneficial microbial species, and these bacteria create many benefits for
humans when kimchi is consumed," he says. Reduced blood sugar, insulin
resistance, body-wide inflammation, and vitamin B1, B2, B7, and B9 (folate)
production are only a few benefits."
In other words, fermented foods can help you maintain a healthy
gut microbiota, lowering your risk of cardiovascular disease risk factors such
as high blood pressure and chronic inflammation.
According to Harvard Health, the microbes in your gut have a solid
link to your cardiovascular system, which implies that keeping a healthy gut
can also help you maintain a healthy heart.
The takeaway
You can't keep your heart healthy by eating only one sort of food.
According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, a healthy gut can
be achieved by eating heart-healthy foods, exercising regularly, reducing
stress when feasible, getting enough good-quality sleep, lowering blood
pressure and cholesterol, and managing your weight.
While no one meal can protect you from heart disease, including kimchi or other fermented foods in your diet can help you care for your gut and heart health at the same time.