Almost 75 trillion cells in your body receive blood from your heart. Your heart works hard, so nourish it today!
Weight control and regular exercise are critical for keeping your heart in shape. But the food you eat may matter just as much. A heart-healthy diet can reduce your risk of heart disease (“Are you at risk of a heart attack?”) or stroke by 80% and you may be able to prevent or manage heart diseases.
Here are 2 types of foods and recipes you can try out for a healthy heart:
Soy
Soy protein is the only plant-based protein which provides all the essential amino acids needed by the body. High in polyunsaturated fats and low in saturated fats with no cholesterol, soy has shown to improve blood vessel elasticity (measure of how ‘hardened’ your blood vessels are). Lunasin, a naturally occurring peptide found in soy has been found to help reduce LDL by disrupting the level of cholesterol produced by the liver and it also helps to clear LDL from the bloodstream. Try substituting soy protein with meat proteins to enjoy its benefits – 25 grams of soy protein per day helps to reduce the risk of heart diseases.
Try out this recipe!
Tofu Salad
Ingredients
450g soft bean curd
1 sliced of ginger, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 green onion, sliced
1 tablespoon dried shrimp, soaked and chopped
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch, dissolved in 1 teaspoon water
Sauce
1/3 cup soup stock or water
1 tablespoon cooking oil
2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons XO sauce (optional)
1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
Dash of sugar
Methods
- Drain bean curd; cut into 1-inch pieces. Place bean curd on a serving plate. Combine sauce ingredients in a bowl; set aside.
- Heat cooking oil in a hot wok over high heat. Add ginger, garlic, green onion and dried shrimp; stir-fry until fragrant. Add sauce; cook until heated through. Add cornstarch solution; cook, stir until sauce thickens. Drain bean curd once more, then pour the sauce and serve.
Fish
Caretenoid astaxanthin and selenium present in salmon are antioxidants responsible for protecting the heart from oxidative stress and prevents cellular damage of the heart. This is important because unlike cells in other parts of our body, the cells in our heart regenerate at a slower rate. You don’t have to be stuck with salmon – other oily fish such as mackerel, tuna and sardines can also be taken twice weekly to help lower your risk of heart disease. So feast in these fishes now!
Try out this recipe!
Mushrooms and fish in savoury broth
Ingredients
4 oz firm white fish fillet, sliced
2&1/2 cups soup stock
2 slices of ginger, crushed
2 fresh shitake mushrooms, sliced
2 fresh shitake mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup straw mushrooms
2 tablespoons wolfberries, soaked
2 tablespoons Xiao Hsing wine
1 1/2 tablespoons enoki moshrooms
1 green onion, cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces
Salt, white pepper and sesame oil to taste
Marinade
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
A dash of ground white pepper
Methods
- Combine fish and marinade ingredients in a bowl; stir to coat. Let mix stand for 10 minutes.
- Bring soup stock to a boil in a pot. Add ginger, shiitake and straw mushrooms, wolfberries and wine; cook 2 minutes. Add fish; cook 1 minute. Add enoki mushrooms and green onion; mix well. Add salt, pepper and sesame oil to taste.
