This trendy vegetable is making a comeback.
And it just so happens to be a heart doc and a dietitians top choice for heart health!
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Actually, great news!
Theres a tasty, easy-to-prepare vegetable that can help improve your heart health.
And that vegetable isBrussels sprouts.
Brussels sprouts are an often-overlooked yet heart-healthy vegetable for so many reasons, she says.
Of course, we usually think of fiber for digestive health.
However, research finds that its beneficial impact on gut health may indirectly enhance cardiovascular health.
How does that happen?
Like the rest of us, your good gut bacteria need food to survive.
In the case of your gut microbes, that food is fiber.
But fiber is not just about nourishing your good gut bacteria.
Vitamin K
Vitamin Kmay not get as much attention as other vitamins.
Yet, when it comes to heart health, it should.
Conveniently, Brussels sprouts are one of the very best sources of this heart-supporting vitamin.
One cup of cooked Brussels sprouts gives you two-and-a-half times the vitamin K you need per day.
What makes this often-overlooked vitamin so beneficial for your heart?
For starters, vitamin K is a key nutrient for healthy arteries, says Natker.
Just know that vitamin K can interact with certain medications, especially blood thinners.
Nitrates
In nutrition circles,nitratesare a controversial subject.
This, in turn, allows blood to flow freely, lowering blood pressure and improving circulation.
Vitamin C
Did you know that Brussels sprouts are one of the best vegetable sources ofvitamin C?
One cup of cooked Brussels gives you nearly an entire days worth of this antioxidant vitamin.
Thats not just good news for your immune system.
Unfortunately, most of us arent consuming enough of it.
Brussels sprouts can help.
One cup of cooked Brussels sprouts packs roughly 10% of the Daily Value of this under-consumed mineral.
Thats encouraging news for your heart, as potassium is a key player in blood pressure regulation.
The Bottom Line
Brussels sprouts may not get as much attention as other vegetables.
But heart-health experts think they should.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Heart Disease Facts.
U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Dietary Guidelines for Americans.Food Sources of Selected Nutrients.
U.S. Department of Agriculture.
FoodData Central.Brussels sprouts, frozen, cooked, without salt.
Xu C, Marques FZ.How dietary fibre, acting via the gut microbiome, lowers blood pressure.Current Hypertension Reports.
2022;24(11):509-521. doi:10.1007/s11906-022-01216-2
National Institutes of Health.
Office of Dietary Supplements.Vitamin K - Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.
Apte M, Nadavade N, Sheikh SS.A review on nitrates' health benefits and disease prevention.
2024 Jan 1;142:1-15. doi: 10.1016/j.niox.2023.11.003.
2024;22(1).
doi:10.1186/s12916-024-03577-8
National Institute of Health.
Office of Dietary Supplements.Vitamin C - Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Effects of Sodium and Potassium.
