Avocados, beetroot, chillies, apples: 20 foods that can stop heart disease

DIET expert Dale Pinnock gives his prescription for the everyday ingredients that can help you eat your way to better cardiovascular health

APPLES

Apples are very rich in a soluble fibre called pectin. This gel-like soluble fibre will bind to cholesterol in the digestive tract and carry it off before it gets the chance to be absorbed.

AVOCADOS

The fruit is very high in a group of compounds called phytosterols, found in cholesterol-lowering drinks. They reduce cholesterol by blocking its path through the gut wall (similar to soluble fibre). They are also rich in vitamin E, which can protect bad (LDL) cholesterol from oxidation, one of the early factors that triggers blood vessel damage.

BEETROOT

Beetroot is very high in natural nitrates, a type of mineral salt. This is converted by the body into nitric oxide, which causes the smooth muscles in the blood vessel walls to relax and widen, reducing blood pressure. Some small-scale studies have confirmed this effect. This doesn't mean you can throw your medicine out and eat beetroot all day though, it just highlights a powerful ingredient that we can consume to benefit our heart health.

BLACKBERRIES

Incredibly rich in anthocyanins, the flavonoids responsible for the fruit's dark purple colour. These potent compounds are taken up into the endothelium (blood vessel walls), where they can stimulate nitric oxide release. Blueberries are also high in anthocyanins.

Credit;   http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/561544/20-foods-stop-heart-disease