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We admit that trying to make consciously healthy decisions every day or at every meal can feel overwhelming. It’s hard to make the right choice every time! Still, considering that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), keeping your heart healthy should never be too far from your mind. And one of the easiest ways to do that is to eat foods for heart health.
“What’s good for your heart is good for your brain and good for you in general,” said cardiologist Arthur Agatston, M.D., founder of The Agatston Center for Preventive Medicine and creator of the South Beach Diet. In fact, a growing number of experts consistently recommend following the Mediterranean Diet or the DASH diet to support your heart. The secret is in varying the types of fish, vegetables, whole grains, and other items you enjoy every day.
Meet the experts: Arthur Agatston, M.D., cardiologist, founder of The Agatston Center for Preventive Medicine and creator of the South Beach Diet; William Davis, M.D., a Wisconsin-based preventive cardiologist and author of Wheat Belly.
While lifestyle changes like reducing your salt intake or watching less TV have been studied and proven to support heart health, the foods you include in your diet play a major role in lowering your risk for heart-related illness. That’s why we gathered the best foods for heart health so you can stock up stat.
Best foods for heart health
Wild salmon
Broiled, grilled, or baked, this tasty, fleshy fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids that improve the metabolic markers for heart disease. It also has rich levels of selenium, an antioxidant that studies have shown boosts cardiovascular protection.
Sardines
These spiny little creatures are also loaded with omega-3s in the form of fish oil, which increases “good” cholesterol levels and reduces the risk of sudden heart attacks in people who have experienced previous attacks, according to the Mayo Clinic. Stick to fresh ones to avoid the canned variety’s high salt content.
Liver
Liver contains fats that are good for the heart, said William Davis, M.D., a Wisconsin-based preventive cardiologist and author of Wheat Belly. “That’s the way humans are scripted,” he said. “Primitive humans ate the entire animal. Livers contain a lot of fats and that’s healthy.”
Walnuts
This nut is chock-full of omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, Vitamin E, and folate, all of which promote healthy hearts. It’s also high in polyunsaturated fats. Eat them unsalted for your best heart-healthy meal.
Almonds
Like walnuts, crunchy, meaty almonds are big in omega-3s and provide an alternative to folks who may not like the bitter bite of fleshy walnuts.
Chia seeds
There are some great health benefits of chia seeds. Just a spoonful of this plant-based omega-3 powerhouse contains only 60 calories and helps reduce bad cholesterol and plaque buildup. Mix them with yogurt or soup, or sprinkle them on a salad.
Oatmeal
The highly publicized benefits of eating your oatmeal have long shown it’s a wonderful meal for reducing cholesterol. But eat only the plain, non-processed kind. Instant and flavored oats are often drenched in processed sugar. Plus, oatmeal can even be beneficial for weight loss.
Blueberries
These dark berries are packed with resveratrol (more about this powerful antioxidant later) and flavonoids, another antioxidant that helps prevent coronary disease. Put them in your oatmeal, in a smoothie, or in yogurt.
Coffee
Caffeine junkies, rejoice. According to Dr. Agatston, studies have shown that coffee is high in antioxidants. Up to three cups a day also increases cognition levels and helps decrease the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, Agatston said. Recent research has even found drinking up to three cups of coffee a day can lower your risk of heart disease.
Red wine
Back to the importance of resveratrol, a compound with antioxidant properties, which can also help prevent cancer, according to a study in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences. Resveratrol is found in dark-skinned berries and grapes. Madirans and Cabernets typically contain large amounts of procyanidins, an antioxidant that helps reduce cholesterol and increases arterial health. But, research can be mixed. Though some studies say drinking wine can improve heart health, others indicate no amount of alcohol is good for heart health.
Green tea
Lower hypertension by pouring yourself a cup of this beverage long favored by Chinese herbalists for its medicinal benefits. In its soothing warmth are catechin and flavonoids, antioxidants with multiple cardio benefits including reducing blood clots.
Soy milk
It’s high in the organic compound isoflavones, which has been shown to help reduce cholesterol. Plus, unlike animal milk, this beverage contains no cholesterol and is naturally low in fat.
Dark chocolate
Yes! You’re not hallucinating. But pick one that contains at least 70% cocoa, which has been linked to lower blood pressure and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, because the healthiest dark chocolate bars have flavonols that relax arteries and increase blood flow. Make sure it doesn’t contain saturated fats from additives such as palm oil.
Raisins
Grab a handful and help reduce high blood pressure, according to research in the Journal of Herbal Medicine. That’s because raisins are packed with potassium, which helps lower hypertension and increases immune-boosting antioxidants. Recent research indicated that potassium-rich foods may boost heart health.
Broccoli
You knew this would be on the list! This green vegetable is low in cholesterol, high in fiber, and contains a wealth of antioxidants. It’s good for protecting your joints, too.
Brussels sprouts
Yup, this one, too. Whether you hate or love this vitamin-rich veggie that looks like mini cabbage heads, there’s no disputing it is good for your heart. Among its heart-healthy benefits are reducing inflammation in the cardiovascular system and improving blood vessel health.
Cauliflower
It’s not green, but it is bursting with antioxidants, is high in fiber, and contains allicin, a component of garlic shown to help lower the risk of heart attacks and reduce cholesterol.
Yams or sweet potatoes
A great source of Vitamin C, calcium, and iron, which help reduce high blood pressure. Eat the skin, too, which is full of heart-healthy nutrients.
Whole grains
Dr. Agatston recommended whole grains free of glutens, including oat bran and rice, which regulate cholesterol. Avoid processed, refined grains, which are steeped in glutens that have been associated with heart ailments including clogged arteries.
Apples
Do not peel this ubiquitous fruit—that’s where all the antioxidants are, notably polyphenols, which shield cholesterol from free-radical assaults. Apples (of any color) also contain pectin, which blocks the absorption of cholesterol, and fiber, which sweeps out cholesterol.
Oranges
Another source of pectin, this citrus fruit is also packed with a flavonoid that lowers blood pressure and reduces artery inflammation. Citrus also contains hesperidin, a plant chemical that improves blood flow to the heart, and vitamin C, a potent protector against stroke.
Grapefruit
Like oranges, grapefruit contains a lot of vitamin C which, according to research, can help protect against stroke and helps reduce cholesterol. But, if you’re on heart medication, like Viagra, or a statin, like Lipitor, stay away from this juicy breakfast food, which contains a compound that has been shown to be toxic when mixed with the above meds, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Avocado
This fruit is loaded with monounsaturated fats, also known as “good fats” that can help minimize blood cholesterol and blood clots. But they are also high in calories (240 per average-sized avocado), so go easy.
Avocado oil
Pressed from the fruit, avocado oil has been touted as a more heart-healthy cooking oil because of its ability to lower blood pressure and reduce cholesterol, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Olive oil
Make sure it’s extra virgin. The purer olive oil contains higher levels of “good fat” and antioxidants to help unclog your arteries and is considerably better for your heart than vegetable oil and its cholesterol-inducing “bad” fats.
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