A great way to get the healthy nutrients you need from vegetables is to juice them. Here are three vegetables that have been researched and shown to have heart healthy benefits. What are they you might ask?
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.
Spinach also contains potassium and magnesium. These two minerals are essential for the proper regulation of the heart muscle. Therefore, potassium and magnesium can lower blood pressure.
Spinach also contains other blood lowering components - peptides. Research has found that blood pressure levels in animals was lowered in as little as two to four hours. The animals consumed just 20 - 30mg of peptides for each kg of body weight each day
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.
Also, broccoli is bountiful in the cardioprotective phytochemical sulphoraphane. Sulphoraphane is somehow able to trigger the release of thioredoxin. Theioredoxin is a protein that has been proven in a study by the University of Connecticut to protects the cells of the heart from harm.
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
Lycopene is the amazing phytochemical that makes tomatoes so heart healthy. Lycopene is also the pigment that gives tomatoes and other red fruits and vegetables their red coloring. Many studies have shown lycopene to considerably reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, lower blood pressure and protect the arteries from cellular damage. One study conducted at Harvard proved that giving women lycopene every day for 5 years, decreased their risk of heart disease in half!
Juicer recipes idea: You can use the left over pulp from your tomato juice to make soups or salsa. - 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.
Spinach also contains potassium and magnesium. These two minerals are essential for the proper regulation of the heart muscle. Therefore, potassium and magnesium can lower blood pressure.
Spinach also contains other blood lowering components - peptides. Research has found that blood pressure levels in animals was lowered in as little as two to four hours. The animals consumed just 20 - 30mg of peptides for each kg of body weight each day
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.
Also, broccoli is bountiful in the cardioprotective phytochemical sulphoraphane. Sulphoraphane is somehow able to trigger the release of thioredoxin. Theioredoxin is a protein that has been proven in a study by the University of Connecticut to protects the cells of the heart from harm.
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
Lycopene is the amazing phytochemical that makes tomatoes so heart healthy. Lycopene is also the pigment that gives tomatoes and other red fruits and vegetables their red coloring. Many studies have shown lycopene to considerably reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, lower blood pressure and protect the arteries from cellular damage. One study conducted at Harvard proved that giving women lycopene every day for 5 years, decreased their risk of heart disease in half!
Juicer recipes idea: You can use the left over pulp from your tomato juice to make soups or salsa. - 31875
About the Author:
Darren Haynes enjoys writing about health subjects and especially about food and its healing properties. Check out my juicer recipes blog Juicer Recipes Now
