Food Minerals Supporting The Circulatory System

Do you know why minerals in food are so important to cardiovascular health? The dominant diet in the world today is the Western diet, which is characterized by a high consumption of saturated fat as well as sodium and sugar.

On the other hand, it is deficient in the minerals necessary to maintain balance in the body. This is due to an inadequate intake of vegetables, fruits and seeds that does not cover the recommended daily allowances of the nutrients.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. For effective prevention and proper treatment of these disorders, it is recommended to follow a healthy diet in the first place.

Combined with regular physical activity, it is a method that complements pharmacological measures. Today we will tell you how to choose minerals in food to stay healthy without the use of drugs.

What are cardiovascular diseases?

It is a group of disorders including heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and blood vessel disease. Every year, 17.1 million people worldwide die from these diseases.

In Spain, for example, cardiovascular disease accounts for € 9 billion in healthcare costs annually, according to the Spanish Heart Foundation. According to the WHO, 80% of deaths related to these diseases could have been avoided by following a healthy lifestyle and reducing risk factors.

The main risk factors for the development of cardiovascular disease

Bad eating habits, along with other harmful habits, directly influence the development of atherosclerosis. This disease is characterized by the formation of lipid or fatty plaque in the blood vessels, preventing them from functioning properly.

Among the factors contributing to the development of the atherosclerotic process are:

• Risk factors associated with harmful behavioral habits:  smoking, a sedentary lifestyle, a diet high in salt, fat and calories, and alcoholism.
• Metabolic risk factors : hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolaemia, overweight and obesity

Metabolic diseases are closely related to behavioral risk factors. The Western diet causes an excessive accumulation of body fat, which translates into an increase in individual body weight.

Overweight and obesity are pathological conditions that alter organ function, causing diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia.

Introducing a healthy lifestyle means changing your eating habits and exercising regularly. There are special dietary recommendations for regulating metabolic disorders. It also creates precise nutritional plans that control many risk factors and have a protective effect on the heart. Among them, the most famous is the dietary approach to controlling hypertension, the so-called DASH diet.

DASH diet: minerals in food showing vascular activity

The DASH diet is a nutritional pattern developed by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). This type of nutrition is based on the following principles:

• High consumption of vegetables and fruits.
• Replacing refined flour with whole grain products.

• Moderate share of fats and food of animal origin.
• Occasional or no consumption of high sugar foods.

This diet successfully modulates the major metabolic factors associated with the development of cardiovascular disorders. Numerous meta-analyzes according to Chiavarola L et al. in 2019, show the effects of using this diet in clinical trials.

It reduces the frequency of cardiovascular problems and blood pressure abnormalities. It also improves the results of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, glycosylated hemoglobin , and fasting plasma insulin. It also has a positive effect on body weight.

The beneficial effects attributed to the DASH diet are related to the biological action of other nutrients in the food. These are, for example, flavonoids that have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. But minerals in food that are active in blood vessels should also be mentioned.

What are the main minerals in foods for cardiovascular health?

As we can see, there are many nutrients that have a positive effect on the health of the cardiovascular system. However, in this chapter we will describe in detail the minerals contained in food.

As it was emphasized in the study published in Current Hypertension Reports , they have a very positive effect on our health.

Potassium

This element interacts with the renin-angiotensin system regulating the osmotic and water-electrolyte balance of the cell. This prevents the blood pressure from rising. It is also involved in the excretion of sodium through the kidneys, therefore indicators of endothelial dysfunction are reduced.

• Food sources of potassium: spinach, tomato, zucchini, mushrooms, bananas, nuts, avocados, and chia seeds.

Magnesium compounds are important minerals in food

Magnesium acts as an inhibitor of vascular smooth muscle contraction, exerting a vasodilating effect. This allows the blood to flow at low pressure through the veins and arteries.

• Food sources of magnesium: nuts, dark chocolate (70% cocoa) and whole grains.

Calcium

It works similarly to the family of antihypertensive drugs known as angiotensin converting enzyme (ACEI) inhibitors by inhibiting vasoconstriction. It also works together with potassium to excrete sodium through the kidneys.

• Food sources of calcium: skim milk, sardines, almonds and chickpeas.

Eating a varied diet means a menu rich in vegetables, fruits and whole grains, with a moderate proportion of low-fat animal foods. This diet will cover the need for heart-protecting minerals as well as other nutrients that keep the body functioning optimally.

Such a diet will also control the metabolic risk factors associated with the development of cardiovascular disease.

Conclusion at the end …

It is important that you and your dietitian perform an appropriate assessment and diagnosis of essential nutrients. This will help you develop a personalized meal plan that meets each person’s needs and contributes to improved health.