5 Foods for Heart Health

by Liz Child

Heart health is central to overall good health. In Ireland, heart disease is the leading cause of death. Approximately 10,000 people die in Ireland from Cardiovascular Disease each year, accounting for 36% of deaths. Thankfully there is a lot we can do to prevent heart disease. As well as avoiding stress and moving our bodies, what we eat can really boost our heart health. These 5 main heart-healthy food groups are important to include in your diet. We can make it easy with a regular delivery of fruit, veg and groceries to your door. Explore all we have to offer here. We deliver nationwide to every address in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Check out these recipes developed specifically with heart health in mind – Heart Health Bowls and Smoothies for Heart Health.

1. Leafy Greens

Leafy green vegetables like spinach, kale, chard and cabbages are exceptionally high in vitamin K and nitrates. These help reduce blood pressure and improve the function of our arteries. Studies have shown that a higher intake of leafy greens is associated with a lower risk of heart disease. We always have a good range of leafy greens in our online shop. We grow a lot of organic kale, cabbages, spinach and chard on our farm here in Galway, and we also source greens from other organic farms when we don’t have enough of our own grown produce. It’s very important to us to keep your leafy greens needs fulfilled year round.

2. Whole Grains

Choosing whole-grains over refined grains can help improve your heart health. Whole-grains (like oats, barley, buckwheat, brown rice, wholewheat flour, quinoa…) include all three nutritious parts of the grain as it is found on the plant: the bran, germ and endosperm. Refined grains (like white rice, white flour and associated products like pasta, white breads/crackers etc), on the other hand, are processed and some of the grain is removed. Wholegrain foods therefore contain far more fibre, vitamins and minerals than refined grain foods. Studies show that eating whole grains lowers cholesterol and blood pressure, which leads to a lower risk of heart disease. We stock plenty of whole grains in clever compostable packaging. Check out our range of sustainable groceries to compliment our organic fresh produce here.

3. Healthy Fats

Nuts, seeds, avocados, olive oil… foods rich in unsaturated fats and essential fatty acids are crucial for heart health. They increase ‘good’ cholesterol which reduces ‘bad’ cholesterol and improves your blood pressure. Cholesterol is arguably one of the most misunderstood substances. Your body needs cholesterol to perform important jobs, such as making hormones and building cells. It can be complicated but generally foods made from animals, including red meat, butter, and cheese, have a lot of saturated fats. Whereas plant based sources of fats like avocados, olive oil, nuts and seeds contain healthy unsaturated fats.

4. Legumes

Beans, chickpeas and lentils are incredibly healthy foods. Good for you and good for the planet, not to mention affordable and filling. Legumes are especially beneficial for heart health because they are high in resistant starch (which your microbiome loves) and have been shown to reduce levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, lower blood pressure, and decrease inflammation.

5. Antioxidant Rich Foods

Berries, beetroots, tomatoes, green tea, dark chocolate… foods that are high in antioxidants are good for your heart. When we eat fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants, our bodies use them to prevent cell damage, reduce inflammation, and protect the health of our heart.

Our Food System Needs to Change

by Kenneth Keavey

Hannah used to love broccoli and then she did not and to this day that has not changed. I do love broccoli. I tend to love all vegetables really, and it is a good thing seeing as I run an organic vegetable farm.

It never ceases to amaze me how much vegetable food you can produce per acre, and how many people that can feed. At the very same time it also never ceases to amaze me how much our food system needs to change; it is broken and here are the three fundamental reasons why:

1. There are too many of us eating a Western style diet. Food inequality is huge and we in the West eat way more than our fair share.

2. Growing feed for animals is not an efficient use of a limited land space. To feed a growing population we need to change what we grow and what we eat. We cannot continue to produce and consume the same food in the same way there simply is not enough space on earth. (I know we have two rescue pigs, and they are eating machines, we feed them waste vegetables, but if we had to grow all the food that they eat, we would need acres just to feed them. Using land to produce vegetables to feed people is a highly efficient use of land.)

3. The supermarkets facilitate the expectation of cheap food and they control the food supply chain. Their pricing practice makes farmers reliant on a subsidy system. Our grandparents spent nearly 20% of their disposal income on food, today it is less than 10%. The main beneficiaries of our food system are the supermarkets, large agribusiness and large food corporations, not us the consumer.

A long-term view is often difficult to reconcile with our daily challenges and life stresses (holding a screaming child for instance, Hannah was not always that picture of calm!) But the climate is changing, the sea levels are rising, biodiversity is failing and change is necessary now.

We can open our eyes if we choose to, and take responsibility for our choices, we have much more power than we realise. We can’t change the food system over-night, but we can take positive action right now.

It will always be better to eat local food. It will always be better for our countryside and our health to eat more organic food. It will always be better for our health and the health of the planet to eat less meat. Here is what we/you can do right now:

1. Get a box from us, we do things right.

2. Cook from scratch, see our blog here for inspiration, recipes, and videos.

3. Eat no/less meat and dairy. If u do eat meat make sure it is local and organic where possible.

4. Dump the plastic at supermarket tills.

5. Talk about climate change, spread the word.

6. Choose to buy a little more local and sustainable food when you can.

7. Stop spraying chemicals in your garden.

8. Start spending your money locally.

9. Buy less stuff.

10. Plant one tree in your garden.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

Margaret Meade

Kenneth

PS I know I am lucky I get to live and work on an organic vegetable farm, but we can all change our mindset and start seeing nature as an amazing resource that needs to be nurtured.