Juicing vegetables is a superb way to get heart healthy nutrients. Which vegetables are best for fighting heart disease? Researchers has shown these 3 vegetables have wonderful benefits for your heart and arteries.
SPINACH
Spinach contains vitamin C and vitamin A (beta-carotene). These are two important antioxidants that disarm free radicals that can attack artery walls. Vitamin C is a water soluble nutrient and beta-carotene is fat soluble. Together they provide a powerful combination that can prevent cholesterol from oxidation. When oxidized, cholesterol becomes sticky and can attach itself to artery walls, leading to blocked arteries. This can cause heart attacks and strokes.
Two minerals found abundantly in spinach are potassium and magnesium. Both these minerals are vital for your heart to beat properly and have been shown to help bring down blood pressure levels. If potassium levels fall too low in the body, a heart attack can result.
Spinach also contains the nutrient folic acid (folate). Folic acid is needed to lower the blood levels of a chemical called homocysteine. High blood levels of homocysteine is a powerful factor for the development of heart disease. If the homocysteine levels in the blood increase too much, it can cause heart desease. Folic Acid's job is to change homocysteine into harmless molecules.
Juicer recipes idea: A lot of spinach is required to make enough juice that you can drink. About 6 cups will get you what you need. Also, spinach juice doesn't taste so great, adding an apple to the juice makes it easier to drink.
BROCCOLI
Broccoli contains good amounts of the cardio-protective vitamin C and vitamin A (see spinach above for benefits). Broccoli also contains sulforaphane, a phytochemical that can protect the heart. It appears that sulforaphane "tells the body" to release a protein called thioredoxin.
In addition to this, broccoli is also abundant in vitamins A and C, which carries the heart health benefits described above for spinach.
Juicer recipes idea: Both the flower heads as well as the stalks can be juiced. This is a good way to get more variety of vitamins and minerals from the plant.
TOMATOES
Is it a fruit? Is it a vegetable? Either way way its great for your heart! It's high levels of a phytochemical known as lycopene that makes tomatoes an awesome vegetable for a healthy heart. Research at Harvard discovered that giving women lycopene over a period of five years reduced their risk of developing heart disease by 50%. Lycopene has also been shown to lower blood pressure
Juicer recipes idea: You can make soups or salsa with the left over pulp. - 31875
SPINACH
Spinach contains vitamin C and vitamin A (beta-carotene). These are two important antioxidants that disarm free radicals that can attack artery walls. Vitamin C is a water soluble nutrient and beta-carotene is fat soluble. Together they provide a powerful combination that can prevent cholesterol from oxidation. When oxidized, cholesterol becomes sticky and can attach itself to artery walls, leading to blocked arteries. This can cause heart attacks and strokes.
Two minerals found abundantly in spinach are potassium and magnesium. Both these minerals are vital for your heart to beat properly and have been shown to help bring down blood pressure levels. If potassium levels fall too low in the body, a heart attack can result.
Spinach also contains the nutrient folic acid (folate). Folic acid is needed to lower the blood levels of a chemical called homocysteine. High blood levels of homocysteine is a powerful factor for the development of heart disease. If the homocysteine levels in the blood increase too much, it can cause heart desease. Folic Acid's job is to change homocysteine into harmless molecules.
Juicer recipes idea: A lot of spinach is required to make enough juice that you can drink. About 6 cups will get you what you need. Also, spinach juice doesn't taste so great, adding an apple to the juice makes it easier to drink.
BROCCOLI
Broccoli contains good amounts of the cardio-protective vitamin C and vitamin A (see spinach above for benefits). Broccoli also contains sulforaphane, a phytochemical that can protect the heart. It appears that sulforaphane "tells the body" to release a protein called thioredoxin.
In addition to this, broccoli is also abundant in vitamins A and C, which carries the heart health benefits described above for spinach.
Juicer recipes idea: Both the flower heads as well as the stalks can be juiced. This is a good way to get more variety of vitamins and minerals from the plant.
TOMATOES
Is it a fruit? Is it a vegetable? Either way way its great for your heart! It's high levels of a phytochemical known as lycopene that makes tomatoes an awesome vegetable for a healthy heart. Research at Harvard discovered that giving women lycopene over a period of five years reduced their risk of developing heart disease by 50%. Lycopene has also been shown to lower blood pressure
Juicer recipes idea: You can make soups or salsa with the left over pulp. - 31875
About the Author:
Darren Haynes enjoys writing about health subjects and especially about food and its healing qualities. Check out my juicer recipes blog Juicer Recipes Now
