Vitamin D for Heart Health? Here’s What You Need to Know

meals

How’s your heart health? That’s a question that usually gets a conversation started about your diet, exercise habits, and your weight. And it’s an important one.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States.
It claims the lives of an estimated 659,000 adults every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a heart attack, according to the CDC.
And 1 in 3 adults have high blood pressure.

In most cases, you might not even know you have a heart problem. So how do you assess heart health? The most common way is with a basic blood test that measures:

HDL (good) cholesterol
LDL (bad) cholesterol
Total cholesterol
Triglycerides

But there’s at least one more measure that can give you info about your heart health...vitamin D levels.

Your body needs vitamin D to support the immune system, strengthen bones and teeth, manage neuromuscular functions, and reduce inflammation.

Research also shows that low vitamin D levels may be linked to a higher risk for heart failure...your heart becomes too weak to effectively pump blood through your body.

However, increasing vitamin D levels by improving your diet, spending a little time in the sun, and supplementation (after consulting your doctor), can protect your heart.

Want to add some vitamin-D-rich foods to your diet?

Fish, eggs, and mushrooms are three common foods high in vitamin D. Give these meals a try:

Fish

Salmon & Vegetable Linguini
Salmon Caponata with Orzo & Spinach
Baked Tilapia, Brown Rice & Minted Carrots
Tilapia & Rice Pilaf with Mushroom & Artichoke Hearts
Tilapia with Miso Ginger, Black Beans, Rice with Peas & Carrots

Eggs

Breakfast Scramble, Hashbrowns & Asparagus
Cheese Omelet, Broccoli & Cinnamon Apples
Fried Egg Patties, Sweet Potatoes & Asparagus

Mushrooms

Breaded Pollock, Peas with Mushrooms, Onions, Red Peppers, Carrots - Individual Meal
Chicken & Mushroom Swiss Rice with Peas & Carrots and Stewed Tomatoes

Hungry for more heart-healthy food? Check out the complete Low-Sodium menu.