Diet plays a major role in heart health and can impact your risk of heart disease, the leading cause of death for adults in the US (1Trusted Source).
The food you eat can influence heart disease risk factors, including:
- blood pressure
- triglycerides
- cholesterol levels
- inflammation
Here are 10 foods you should eat to maximize your heart health.
Leafy green vegetables like spinach, kale, and collard greens are well known for their wealth of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
In particular, they’re a great source of vitamin K, which helps protect your arteries and promote proper blood clotting (2Trusted Source).
They’re also high in dietary nitrates, which have been shown to reduce blood pressure, decrease arterial stiffness, and improve the function of cells lining the blood vessels (3).
The American Heart Association (AHA) notes that an increased leafy green vegetable intake was associated with more significant benefits to cardiovascular health and a lower risk of heart disease than other fruits and vegetables (4Trusted Source).
Common types of whole grains include:
- whole wheat
- brown rice
- oats
- rye
- barley
- buckwheat
- quinoa
Refined carbohydrates increase the risk of coronary heart disease. But whole grains are protective. An extra 1 or 2 daily servings of these foods increases or decreases risk by approximately 10-20% (5Trusted Source).
Multiple studies have found that eating more whole grains can benefit your heart health.
The AHA recommends eating whole grains rather than refined grains daily can reduce your risk for (6Trusted Source):
- cardiovascular disease
- coronary heart disease
- stroke
- metabolic syndrome
Adopting a diet rich in plant-based foods, whole grains, low fat dairy products, and sodium intake within recommended limits can help prevent and manage hypertension (7Trusted Source).
When purchasing whole grains, make sure to read the ingredients label carefully. Phrases like “whole grain” or “100% whole wheat” indicate a whole grain product, while words like “wheat flour” or “multigrain” may not.
Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries are jam-packed with nutrients that play a central role in heart health.
Berries are also rich in antioxidants like anthocyanins, which protect against oxidative stress and inflammation that can contribute to the development of heart disease. Higher anthocyanin intake may reduce your risk of coronary artery disease, including heart attack and hypertension (8Trusted Source).
Eating blueberries daily may also improve the function of cells that line the blood vessels (vascular function), which help control blood pressure and blood clotting (8Trusted Source).
Berries can be a satisfying snack or a delicious dessert. Try adding a few different types to your diet to take advantage of their health benefits.
Avocados are an excellent source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, which have been linked to reduced cholesterol levels and a lower risk of heart disease. Eating at least two servings of avocado each week was linked to a 16% reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and a 21% reduced risk of coronary heart disease (10Trusted Source).
A comprehensive review of studies determined that avocado may help improve (11Trusted Source):
- LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, including levels of small, dense LDL cholesterol
- triglyceride levels
- vascular function
Avocados are also rich in potassium, a nutrient essential to heart health, and can help reduce blood pressure. One serving of avocado (150 grams) supplies 725 milligrams of potassium, or about 21% of the amount you need daily, based on the adult male daily adequate intake (12Trusted Source).
Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines, and tuna are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, which have been studied extensively for their heart-health benefits.
Omega-3 fatty acids from fatty fish may have a protective role in the risk of developing heart disease and slightly reduce the risk of CVD events and arrhythmias (13Trusted Source).
Eating fish over the long term may support lower levels of (14Trusted Source):
- total cholesterol
- blood triglycerides
- fasting blood sugar
- systolic blood pressure
Fish consumption is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, depression, and mortality (15Trusted Source).
If you don’t eat much seafood, fish oil is another option for getting your daily dose of omega-3 fatty acids.
Fish oil supplements may reduce rates of all-cause mortality, cardiac death, sudden death, and stroke (16Trusted Source).
Walnuts are a great source of fiber and micronutrients like magnesium, copper, and manganese (17Trusted Source).
Research shows that incorporating a few servings of walnuts into your diet can help protect against heart disease.
Evidence for cardiovascular disease prevention is strong for some varieties of tree nuts, particularly walnuts (18Trusted Source).
Diets supplemented with walnuts may decrease LDL (bad) and total cholesterol (1Trusted Source9Trusted Source).
Interestingly, some studies also found that regularly eating nuts, such as walnuts, is associated with a lower risk of heart disease (20Trusted Source).
Beans contain resistant starch, which resists digestion and is fermented by the beneficial bacteria in your gut. Resistant starch can potentially exert a healthy impact on the gut and certain members of its resident microbiota (21Trusted Source).
Multiple studies have also found that eating beans can reduce certain risk factors for heart disease.
Dark chocolate is rich in antioxidants like flavonoids, which can help boost heart health.
Consuming chocolate in moderation (less than six servings a week) may decrease your risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, and diabetes (24Trusted Source).
Remember that though some studies show an association, they don’t necessarily account for other factors that may be involved.
Additionally, chocolate can be high in sugar and calories, negating many of its health-promoting properties.
Be sure to pick a high quality dark chocolate with a cocoa content of at least 70% and moderate your intake to make the most of its heart-healthy benefits.
Tomatoes are loaded with lycopene, a natural plant pigment with powerful antioxidant properties (25Trusted Source).
Antioxidants help neutralize harmful free radicals, preventing oxidative damage and inflammation, which can contribute to heart disease.
Low blood levels of lycopene are linked to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke (26Trusted Source).
Increasing the intake of tomato products and lycopene supplementation positively affects blood lipids, blood pressure, and endothelial function (27).
A review of research noted that one serving of raw tomatoes, tomato sauce, or tomato sauce with refined olive oil may lower blood cholesterol and triglycerides and raise HDL cholesterol (28Trusted Source).
The body absorbs lycopene better from cooked tomatoes and tomato products than fresh tomatoes (28Trusted Source).
Higher HDL (good) cholesterol levels can help remove excess cholesterol and plaque from the arteries to keep your heart healthy and protect against heart disease and stroke (29Trusted Source).
Garlic has potent medicinal properties that may help improve heart health.
This is thanks to the presence of a compound called allicin, which is believed to have many therapeutic effects (35Trusted Source).
A meta-analysis of 12 trials noted that garlic supplements lowered both systolic and diastolic blood pressure and were as effective as a common prescription drug at reducing blood pressure (36Trusted Source).
Garlic can also inhibit platelet buildup, which may reduce the risk of blood clots and stroke (35Trusted Source).
Be sure to consume garlic raw or crush it and let it sit for a few minutes before cooking. This allows for the formation of allicin, maximizing its potential health benefits.
