What you choose to eat has more of an effect on your long-term health than you may think—especially when it comes to your heart health.
It's all about choosing the best, high-quality ingredients for your meals, and having the right protein on hand is important to keep your heart healthy for a long time to come.
The best protein for your heart is a lean protein or one low in saturated fat.
Saturated fat, when consumed on a regular basis, can contribute to increases in total and bad (LDL) cholesterol.
A build-up of LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream can clog up the arteries, which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, along with many other chronic diseases.
Keeping your LDL cholesterol numbers low is key for good heart health as you age, which means choosing lean proteins with little saturated fat on a regular basis.
One of the best ways you can get lean protein with low saturated fat, while also incorporating heart-healthy fats, is by eating fish!
Omega-3 fatty acids can help increase your HDL "good" cholesterol. This type of cholesterol helps to remove the excess cholesterol in your blood, carrying it back to your liver.
A low amount of HDL cholesterol likely means you also have a high amount of LDL cholesterol in your blood, which can negatively impact your heart health.