The arteries are the blood vessels responsible for carrying oxygen-rich blood from the heart to every part of the body. Each artery is made up of three layers:
-
Intima – the innermost lining,
-
Media – the muscular layer that withstands the heart’s pressure,
-
Adventitia – the connective tissue that supports and anchors the artery to surrounding structures.
The aorta, the largest artery in the body, branches out into a network of smaller arteries, arterioles, and capillaries, ensuring blood reaches all tissues.
In a healthy state, the inner surface of the arteries is smooth, allowing blood to flow without obstruction. However, when plaque accumulates—a mixture of fat, cholesterol, calcium, fibrin, and other waste products circulating in the blood—it can narrow or block the arteries, restricting blood flow.
Factors such as high LDL (bad cholesterol), low HDL (good cholesterol), high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, and cardiovascular conditions (like coronary artery disease, heart attack, or stroke) can increase the risk of clogged arteries.
This is why keeping arteries clear and flexible is crucial for overall health. Along with a healthy lifestyle, incorporating certain superfoods into your diet can naturally support clean, unclogged arteries and promote smooth blood circulation.
Artery-Cleansing Superfoods
Here’s a list of nutrient-rich foods known to help protect and cleanse your arteries. Adding them to your meals regularly can boost heart health and improve blood flow.
1. Almonds:
Almonds are very effective in lowering the LDL and raising the HDL levels, which in turn reduces the buildup of plaque in your arteries. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats and magnesium in almonds help to decrease the risk of plaque buildup in the arteries.
It’s best to have 3 – 5 servings of almonds each week but be sure that 1 serving is equal to a handful of almonds. For overall health, consume soaked or roasted almonds.
2. Avocadoes:
Avocado reduces LDL and increase HDL levels in the body to prevent the buildup of plaque along the walls of the artery with its essential content of vitamin E and other healthy fatty acids. It has potassium that lowers your high blood pressure and eliminates cholesterol oxidization.
So, consume 1 avocado daily (or) substitute your butter or cream with avocado on toast and bread (or) include avocado in your side dishes, sandwiches, soups, and salads.
3. Asparagus:
Asparagus is a green vegetable that boosts up the production of an antioxidant (glutathione) which helps to fight against inflammation and thus stops damaging oxidation to prevent blocked or clogged arteries.
Alpha-linoleic acid and folic acid in asparagus will prevent hardening of your arteries. Consume asparagus which is prepared by steaming, grilling, roasting, and stir – frying. Also, eat this healthy vegetable by using it in soups or salads.
4. Broccoli:
Broccoli has a rich content of sulforaphane that prevents the formation of plaque in the arteries. It inhibits the calcium from damaging the arteries with its vitamin K content. It is also high in fiber that lowers your cholesterol levels and high blood pressure.
So, consume 2 – 3 servings of broccoli each week but make sure that each serving should include 1/2 cup of raw broccoli. Prefer grilled, roasted or steamed broccoli to grab the healthy benefits.
5. Garlic:
Garlic prevents the hardening of the aorta and thus cleanses your arteries. So, include garlic in your daily diet to get rid of blockages in the arteries and also to improve the cardiovascular health. It has many amazing properties that reduce the LDL cholesterol levels.
Consume 1 – 4 cloves of raw garlic daily (or) include garlic in your soups, casseroles, stews and salad dressings (or) try a garlic supplement after consult your doctor for proper dosage.
6. Olive Oil:
Extra virgin olive oil has rich content of antioxidants (polyphenols) and healthy fats (monounsaturated fats) that reduce LDL levels, improves your HDL levels and thus removes the buildup of plaque in the arteries.
Include olive oil as your cooking oil (or) use it make healthy salad dressings (or) replace your butter or ghee with olive oil while preparing any food items.
7. Pomegranate:
Pomegranate is an exotic fruit that has rich content of antioxidants in the form of vitamin C and polyphenols, which help to stimulate the production of nitric oxide (used to keep the blood flow by opening the arteries). It also effectively reduces the existing plaque in the arteries.
Drink freshly prepared pomegranate juice (or) use it to make fruit salads (or) smoothies (or) consume it once daily to get rid of the problem. Consult your doctor before drinking this juice, as it may not be suitable when taken with some medications.
8. Salmon:
Salmon is a healthy fish that is enriched with omega – 3 fatty acids like docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) that increase the HDL cholesterol levels, decrease triglyceride levels and reduces the inflammation of the blood vessels and formation of blood clots in the arteries.
It helps to keep your arteries free from plaque buildup and also lowers your blood pressure. It is recommended to have 2 – 3 servings of salmon every week. Prefer baked or grilled salmon dishes for grabbing overall health. Also, include other cold water fatty fishes in your diet.
9. Turmeric:
Curcumin in turmeric exhibit many properties like antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory that lowers the inflammation and keeps your arteries free from any blockages. It also reduces the fat deposits in the arteries for a free flow of blood.
It contains vitamin B6 that maintains optimal levels of homocysteine, as excess will result in the buildup of plaque and thus damages the blood vessels. It also lowers the LDL levels. So, include turmeric spice in your daily diet (or) drink 1 glass of warm turmeric milk every day.
10. Watermelon:
Watermelon is an excellent fruit that reduces atherosclerosis (plaque buildup in the arteries). It also contains L-citrulline (amino acid) that lowers your high blood pressure and also stimulates the production of nitric oxide, which in turn widens the blood vessels.
Eat 1 cup of fresh watermelon pieces (or) drink 1 glass of watermelon juice (or) include watermelon in your fruit salad in your daily diet to maintain the arteries free from plaque and also to have good cardiovascular health.
Tips and Precautions:
- Drinking 1 – 2 cups of green tea daily will help to improve blood lipid levels with its high amounts of antioxidant catechism and thus reduces arterial blockage.
- Drink plenty of water and other healthy liquids to stay hydrated and to flush out the wastes from your body to clear clogged arteries.
- Also, include persimmons, cinnamon, chia seeds, flax seeds, cranberries, coconut oil, spinach, orange juice, spirulina, whole grains, etc. in your daily diet to get relief from the blocked or clogged arteries.
- Consult your doctor if you’re experiencing any health problems that result in clogged arteries.
- Not only diet, you have to change your lifestyle habits like consuming less quantity with high nutritious meals, have a sound sleep, relieve your stress levels with exercise, yoga, and meditation, avoid late night eating foods and maintain a proper schedule and follow according to it.
Try to include these super foods in your diet to cleanse your arteries. Do you know any other superfoods that deal with artery cleansing? Then share it with us the below comments box.
