5 foods to boost your heart health

The next time you make your shopping list, don’t forget to follow your heart.

A heart-healthy diet makes a world of difference when it comes to lowering your risk of heart disease, the leading killer in the United States. Everyone from the American Heart Association to the US Department of Health and Human Services recommend choosing certain foods to support a healthy heart. Because heart-health foods can reduce other potential cardiovascular problems — like high blood pressure and high cholesterol — consider this when planning your weekly meals.

Read on to find out which foods to look out for and what a heart-healthy diet looks like overall.

Currently running:
Look at that:

How healthy is your heart really? 5 ways to tell at…

3:59

What is a heart healthy diet?

Studies have found two things: foods that are riskier for your heart and foods that strengthen it. Luckily you don’t get hit by a bunch of curveballs. The best foods for heart health are those that you probably already think are healthy. Likewise, the not-so-heart-healthy foods are probably already on your radar because you’re not doing your body any favors.

Before we dive in here, let’s say: Everything in moderation. Unless you have know you have a heart problem, you don’t have to cut out foods or make drastic changes. We’re not saying you can never have another piece of bacon or whip up another lemonade. Instead, by paying attention to what a heart-healthy diet looks like, you can incorporate more of these foods into your meals.

Now let’s talk about details. According to the AHA and Department of Health, a heart-healthy diet is high in:

• To produce
• Lean proteins
• High-fiber complex carbohydrates
• Healthy Fats

A diet full of colorful fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and healthy proteins and fats provides your body with the fiber, vitamins, and minerals it needs for a healthy heart.

Conversely, if you’re trying to promote cardiovascular health, you should limit your intake of the following:

• trans fats
• Saturated fats
• Processed meats (eg, luncheon meats, salami, and hot dogs)
• excess salt
• excess sugar
• Refined carbohydrates (e.g. white bread and snacks)
• Red meat
• Excess alcohol

If many of your favorites are on the less heart-healthy list, don’t panic. You can still include them in your diet (unless your doctor tells you otherwise). Just make sure these foods aren’t a part of every meal and try to fit as many heart-healthy foods into your day as possible.

Heart Healthy Foods

If you want to feel good about what your next shopping spree will do for your heart health, you can shop for items in these specific categories.

1. Fruits and vegetables

Do you remember the food pyramid from back then? It was something. Your body benefits from eating quite a bit of it.

That’s because vegetables and fruits have a high nutrient density per bite. Bananas and sweet potatoes provide potassium, a key mineral for heart health. Cruciferous vegetables can help prevent clogged arteries. Leafy greens provide fiber, which can help lower cholesterol and blood pressure.

In short, the more products you pack, the better. And if fresh produce doesn’t fit your budget or lifestyle, don’t worry. You can reap many nutritional benefits from frozen, dried, and canned options. Just make sure they’re labeled low sodium.

2. Whole Grains

Not all carbohydrates are bad. Refined carbs like those in white bread fly through your body and usually do more harm than good. But complex carbohydrates, such as those found in whole grains, provide fiber, which we mentioned earlier as a heart health booster.

They are also often packed with vitamins and minerals such as iron, selenium, thiamin (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), niacin (vitamin B3), folic acid (vitamin B9) and magnesium. If you’re looking for a heart-healthy diet, choose products that have whole grains in their ingredient list. Complex carbohydrates are also found in beans, potatoes, peas and corn.

3. Lean and plant-based protein

While certain proteins — like red and processed meat — can put a strain on your heart, others are high on the list of foods for heart health. The key here is to look for plant-based protein, lean animal protein, and fish. Experts recommend mixing your protein sources. So you have plenty of options, stock up on:

• lenses
• beans
• nuts
• seed
• tofu
• Fish, especially fish high in omega-3 fatty acids
• eggs
• Low fat dairy products
• poultry
• seed

Swap some of your red meat and salt pork for the above options and you’ll do your heart a favor.

4. Healthy fats

You might think that fat means heart trouble, but that’s the point Type of fat. While trans and saturated fats have been linked to cardiovascular problems in numerous studies, your body, including your heart, needs healthy fats. You can get these from fish, nuts, and seeds, along with avocados and moderate amounts of vegetable oils like:

• olive oil
• sesame oil
• sunflower
• soybean oil
• rapeseed oil
• corn oil
• safflower oil

As a general rule of thumb, if the fat were solid at room temperature, it’s probably saturated. If it were a liquid, it most likely falls under the unsaturated variety. Think butter (controversial for health) versus olive oil (definitely part of a heart-healthy diet).

5. Heart control foods

The American Heart Association has certified certain foods for heart health and has given them the Heart Check seal, which you can find on some food packaging. Once you know this seal, it may be easier to fill your shopping cart with heart-health groceries.

For best results, combine with your heart-healthy diet other heart health boosters how regular training, sleep and stress management techniques. It can also be helpful to know your blood type and what it means for your risk of certain cardiovascular diseases.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions about a medical condition or health goals.