Vitamins are essential nutrients that your body needs in small amounts to work properly. There are two types of vitamins: fat-soluble vitamins which are found mainly in fatty foods such as animal fats (including butter and lard), vegetable oils, dairy foods, liver and oily fish; and water-soluble vitamins which are not stored in the body and are found in fruit, vegetables and grains. The water-soluble vitamins are particularly key for looking after your heart.

Good For Your Heart vitamins

Flora spreads contain vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid that have all been proven to help keep your heart in great shape as part of a balanced diet. They’re effective at breaking down harmful homocysteine which can damage coronary arteries and make it easier for blood clots to develop.

A healthy, balanced diet containing at least five servings of fruit and vegetables a day will help to lower your homocysteine level and keep it within the ideal range.

Foods rich in B6, B12 and folic acid

Fortified breakfast cereals, fish including salmon and tuna, meats such as pork and chicken, bananas, beans and peanut butter, and many vegetables all contain Vitamin B6.

Vitamin B12 can be found in foods such as liver, shellfish, beef, haddock, salmon, milk, yogurt and eggs.

Leaf vegetables such as spinach and turnip greens, dried beans and peas, fortified cereal products, sunflower seeds and certain other fruits and vegetables are rich sources of Folic acid, as is liver.