The magnificent seven heart-healthy foods (Roizen article)

Seven tasty everyday foods are front-line warriors against heart disease.

That’s the conclusion of researchers from King’s College London who recently published results of a 10-year study of the diet and heart health of more than 3,100 people and the metabolites in the urine of more than 200 of those adults. They found that folks who ate a diet packed with plant-based polyphenols (anti-inflammatory compounds such as flavonoids and phenolic acids), have healthier blood pressure and LDL cholesterol levels and a measurably lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

So, who are these “magnificent seven” who battle atherosclerosis, heart attack and vascular problems? Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, Robert Vaughn, James Coburn, Horst Buchholz and Brad Dexter, move over. Here come tea, coffee, berries, cocoa, nuts, whole grains and olive oil, ready to save the day.

I recommend that, starting today, you get a daily dose of coffee and/or tea (black, no sugar added), blueberries and blackberries, strawberries and raspberries, dark chocolate (70% cacao or higher, just 1 ounce a day), unsalted walnuts and almonds (especially good for the heart), barley, farro, millet, steel-cut oats and 100% whole wheat, and extra-virgin olive oil and other poly- and monounsaturated fats such as avocado, canola, flaxseed, fish, and safflower oil.