Superfoods can lower blood fat and protect cardiovascular health

Let’s talk about the core conclusion first: There is no single “super food” that can directly achieve the effect of lowering blood lipids and protecting cardiovascular systems. The current academic and clinical consensus on dietary intervention logic is that some “super foods” with high nutrient density should be used as components of a balanced diet, and combined with work and rest, exercise adjustments and standardized medication, they can play an auxiliary role in blood lipid regulation and cardiovascular health.

A while ago, when I was helping my distant aunt adjust her diet, I was still lamenting how obsessed people are with superfoods. Her physical examination last year showed that her low-density lipoprotein was 3.8mmol/L and her triglycerides were also above the critical value. The doctor said she would undergo lifestyle intervention for three months before deciding whether to take medicine. So she turned around and posted a short video to stock up on Xiaoliangqian’s imported chia seeds and freeze-dried eye drops. Zhou powder, nattokinase capsules, adding three tablespoons of chia seeds to the porridge every day, and eating half a plate of kale for dinner. As a result, the three-month reexamination indicators barely moved. I also had gastric reflux due to eating high-fiber food every day, and my sleep was also very poor.

In fact, we can’t blame everyone for being superstitious. There is indeed a lot of basic research to support that the active ingredients of some ingredients dubbed as “super foods” have a positive effect on blood lipid regulation: for example, the β-glucan in oats can reduce the intestinal absorption of cholesterol, and blue The anthocyanins in berries and purple grapes can reduce vascular inflammation. The Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in deep-sea salmon can help reduce triglyceride levels. The nattokinase in natto has also been proven to have certain effects on lysing thrombosis and improving blood circulation. But many people have overlooked one of the most basic issues: the effective dose in the laboratory is not the same as the amount consumed daily. Take anthocyanins as an example. To achieve the blood-lipid-lowering effect observed in experiments, you have to eat more than 2 pounds of fresh blueberries every day. Who in an ordinary family can eat this every day?

The current disputes in related fields are also quite interesting, with two completely opposite groups arguing fiercely. One group is the "super food cult", which advocates that as long as you eat kale, drink green juice, and eat natto, you can completely replace statins, and you can cure hyperlipidemia without seeing a doctor. A while ago, my classmate in the Department of Cardiology treated an old man who stopped statins and ate three boxes of natto every day. As a result, he had a heart attack and was sent to the emergency room. An angiogram showed that 90% of the blood vessels were blocked, and he almost had a serious accident. The other school is a complete "IQ tax theory" and believes that all super foods are marketing gimmicks and worth half a dime. This is indeed too absolute - my aunt later adjusted the plan and stopped eating kale. In the morning, she replaced the plain porridge she had been drinking for decades with 10 g oatmeal with chia seeds, eating steamed salmon twice a week instead of braised pork ribs, adding a small plate of cold black fungus in the evening, and walking around the neighborhood for 40 minutes every day after dinner. I went for a follow-up checkup in 3 months, and the low-density lipoprotein dropped directly to 2.9mmol/L. Even the doctor praised the adjustment well.

To be honest, many people don’t know that many common ingredients we usually eat can actually replace those extremely expensive imported super foods. For example, the polysaccharide component of black fungus is no worse than chia seeds in regulating blood lipids, and it only costs more than ten yuan per pound. ； The lycopene content of fresh tomatoes in summer is easier to absorb than hundreds of dollars of lycopene supplements. Just wash them clean and chew them directly, which is much more convenient than making green juice. Of course, there are pitfalls that you need to pay attention to. For example, people with gout should not eat natto blindly. Too high purine can easily induce acute attacks. ； People with poor kidney function should not eat quinoa every day. Excessive plant protein will increase the burden on the kidneys. These are pitfalls that have been encountered in clinical practice, not dry notes in books.

Now every time I meet an elderly person in my family asking me if I want to buy a super food health product that costs hundreds of dollars, I will give them an analogy: This thing is like a buff in a game. When your own equipment (standardized medication, balanced diet, regular exercise) is full, adding buffs can get twice the result with half the effort.； Your own equipment is so bad that you eat fried food and drink milk tea every day. Even if you eat super food as a meal, the blood vessels that should be blocked will still be blocked. To put it bluntly, cardiovascular protection can never be achieved by relying on a certain food. Eating well, exercising well, and listening to the doctor's advice are more effective than any super food.