KEY POINTS

  • Preventing the risk of a heart attack should be everyone's health priority
  • This is more so if you have high blood cholesterol and triglycerides
  • One Mexican food ingredient can help you lower your risk

A heart attack happens whenever a coronary artery gets blocked. This then causes the heart to get starved of oxygen and blood. It is important for you to avoid the blockage so that you may also reduce the risk of a heart attack.

One of the things that cause the arteries to get blocked is having a lot of bad cholesterol in the blood. Cholesterol buildup in the blood could result in clogged arteries, which increases the risk of a heart attack. Aside from bad cholesterol, there is another thing that causes a blockage, and this is a high level of triglycerides, a certain type of blood fat.

Lowering Cholesterol and Triglycerides

In order to prevent the blockage of the arteries, it is quite important to lower the levels of bad cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood. There are certain foods that could help you in this endeavor. One of them is beans.

pinto beans lower heart attack risk
pinto beans lower heart attack risk HomeMaker - Pixabay

According to studies, beans help in lowering cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood. Beans contain resistant starch, which is a type of carbs that resists digestion. It also reacts to the beneficial bacteria in the intestines.

Mexican Beans

One study involving 16 people found that by eating pinto beans, they were able to lower their cholesterol and triglycerides. This bean is very popular in Mexican cuisine.

Aside from the abovementioned study, a review of 26 studies revealed that a diet that consists of high components of beans and legumes helps in decreasing bad cholesterol levels. It also helps in decreasing triglycerides.

The best part perhaps is that beans offer the body more benefits than just reducing bad cholesterol and triglycerides. This nice delectable food also helps in reducing inflammation. It also contributes to lowering blood pressure.

Studies have shown that high blood pressure is one of the risk factors of a heart attack. By lowering blood pressure, you are also lowering your risk of suffering from a heart attack.

Suffice to say, by consuming beans; you are actually hitting two birds with one stone. You are lowering your blood pressure, and you are also lowering your risk of a heart attack. In addition, you are also reducing inflammation.

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