How Keep A High Fiber Diet

Are dates good for heart health?

When it comes to heart health, diet plays a major role. As a fruit rich in heart-healthy nutrients, dates are a good choice for a heart-friendly diet. However, since dates are a dry fruit, they are a concentrated source of calories, so you should be careful about how much you consume to control your weight. Too many calories from any source will lead to weight gain, which is not good for your heart.

 

Benefits of dates for heart health

 

Lower blood pressure

 

Dates are rich in potassium and are a good option if you have high blood pressure. Four dates are essentially sodium-free and contain approximately 700 milligrams of potassium, which provides 25 percent of the daily value. Potassium helps to reduce blood pressure by reducing tension in blood vessels. The American Heart Association recommends eating more potassium-rich foods, such as dates, for heart health.

 

Rich source of fiber

 

Eating foods rich in fiber will help keep your heart healthy. Four dates have 6 grams of fiber, which provides more than 30% of your daily requirement. Most of the fiber in dates is in the form of insoluble fiber, which is very effective in preventing constipation. The insoluble fiber in dates as a bulk substance helps you feel full, which helps with weight control, and maintaining a balanced body weight is important for heart health. Dates are a rich source of antioxidants, these nutrients protect your cells from free radical damage. People who eat foods rich in antioxidants are less prone to heart disease. Dates also have anti-inflammatory properties that protect the body against heart diseases by reducing inflammation.

 

Watch your calories

 

Dates are rich in nutrients and fiber, but as a dried fruit, they are a dense source of calories. Four pitted dates have approximately 270 calories. Dates are a healthy food, but consuming too many calories can lead to weight gain. Being overweight puts your heart health at risk.

 

To control calories in a heart-healthy diet, four dates a day are enough