Healthy Heart: What Are the Best Foods for Your Heart?

Wondering what the best foods for your heart are? We’ve prepared for you a list of nutritional groups to focus on and recommended foods to eat from each group.

It’s essential to get regular movement for your heart health in addition to mindfully eating the recommended foods below. Let’s get into healthy heart foods below!

Vegetables

A tip of healthy eating advice is to ensure vegetables make up the majority of your diet. A diverse, rich, plant-based diet is extremely beneficial for heart health. Vegetables are full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Some vegetables can help lower cholesterol and support weight management or weight loss goals you may have.

The carotenes in carrots reduce the risk for stroke and heart disease. Spinach is another vegetable full of carotenes great for the heart.

Lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found in cooked tomatoes and bell peppers, also helps reduce the risk of heart attacks. All vegetables are one of the best foods for your heart!

Fruits

Vegetables powerful sidekick, enjoying fruits is also very beneficial to heart health. Fruits are higher in antioxidants and rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

When it comes to eating fruits and vegetables, it’s essential to incorporate both into your diet- not one in lieu of the other.

Watermelon is a rich source of lycopene- the heart attack fighting antioxidant mentioned earlier. Berries are great for the heart due to their polyphenol’s ability to reduce heart disease risk.

Omega’s

It’s a myth that all fat is bad for your heart. Certain fats, in moderation, can be very beneficial to your overall health.

Omega fats minimize fatty plaque buildup that blocks arteries. This resource helps explain the importance of your arteries in relation to heart health.

These fats come in the form of omegas 3, 6, and 9. Omega fats help lower triglycerides, LDL, and total cholesterol. Make sure to get at least two servings of omega-rich foods a week to reap the benefits.

The most commonly known source of omegas is fatty fish like salmon. Omegas can also be found in nuts, seeds, and certain oils like black seed.

Whole Grains

Some healthy eating advice recommends skipping carbs altogether, but labeling a whole food group as “bad” is not the answer. Whole grains are a great source of fiber and heart-boosting minerals like magnesium and vitamins like B12 and biotin.

Soluble fibers, like those in oatmeal, reduce LDL and total cholesterol. Incorporate whole grains by trying quinoa, Kamut, spelt, barley and rye.

Antioxidants

Some of the best foods for the heart are rich in antioxidants like green tea and dark chocolate. Yes, even dark chocolate consumed once a day in moderation can help your heart!

The flavonoid antioxidants in dark chocolate reduce risks associated with poor heart health like clotting.

What Are the Best Foods for Your Heart?

If we could summarize in one word the best foods for your heart it would be “whole”. A nutritious diet comes straight from nature. This means enjoying organic, local, and in-season produce whenever possible.

Avoid processed foods with ingredients you can’t pronounce. For more heart-health tips, continue browsing our healthy living tab!