s are good for the heart, says Katie Eliot, assistant professor of nutrition and dietetics at St. Louis University. This doesn't mean cookies and cake, but more like fruits: strawberries, raspberries, red bell peppers, tomatoes and the like are ideal for Valentines Day because they're already red and heart shaped, Eliot says."Being red and heart shaped can be a tip off that some foods are good for your heart," Eliot says. "Many heart shaped fruits and vegetables are great sources of antioxidants. These compounds act like shields, taking the hit from free radicals that otherwise damage the body and cause heart disease and cancer."
Strawberries and raspberries are loaded with vitamin C and an antioxidant known as polyphenol that prevents plaque from forming. Cherries contain an antioxidant called anthocyanin, which is thought to protect the blood vessels, and is high in potassium, which lowers blood pressure.
Tomatoes and red peppers are rich in the antioxidant lycopene, which is in many red fruits and vegetables and works magic by neutralizing free radicals. And acorn squash and apples contain loads of fibre, which reduces bad cholesterol that can clog up your arteries to cause heart attacks and stroke.
So, while the current recommendation is to eat at least five fruits and vegetables a day, Eliot adds a special suggestion for February.
"To help keep your ticker ticking, celebrate heart month and Valentine's Day by making sure at least two of those five fruits and veggies are heart shaped or red," Eliot says.
