Making improvements to your diet can help you create big changes in your heart health. In this article, we’ll cover 13 of the most ideal foods that may benefit your heart health.
According to the World Health Organization, more people die from coronary heart disease more than any other cause of death worldwide.[1]
You may not feel it now, but your heart health will eventually decline as you age. This means that your heart won’t be able to cope with stressful events and physical activity as much as you could when you were younger.
Apart from genetic predispositions, lifestyle and environmental factors affect your heart health the most. For those who follow unhealthy diets and sedentary lifestyles, the risk of heart disease becomes exponentially higher.
One of the strongest lifestyle factors of heart health is your diet. The high consumption of unhealthy fats, sodium, and sugars will clog your arteries the most. Unfortunately, many of our favorite fast or junk foods fall under this category, and this is especially harder to avoid if they’re very accessible where you live.
The good news is that it’s never too late to change your lifestyle towards a healthier heart. One of the easiest ways you can transform into a heart healthy lifestyle is by following a heart-friendly diet that is free of processed, high-fat (the unhealthy kind), and sugary foods.
To get you started with a heart-healthy diet, we compiled a list of food that are scientifically proven to be the most beneficial for your heart.[2]
- Leafy Green Vegetables
You might have heard about it a thousand times, but there’s no denying that leafy greens are among the healthiest foods available in the world.
This is because leafy greens contain an impressive load of antioxidants – compounds that combat the damaging effects of free radicals.[3]
When these free radicals outnumber your antioxidants, your heart (along with other parts of your body) will be subject to oxidative stress, which causes cellular damage. Eventually, this damage will accumulate over time, increasing your risk of heart disease.
Several epidemiological studies have also confirmed that populations with a higher dietary intake of antioxidants have a lower risk of developing coronary heart disease.[4]
Vitamin K, an antioxidant present in leafy greens, which is known to protect the arteries and maintain proper blood clotting.[5]
Antioxidants are also what gives these vegetables their signature deep-green color.
In addition, leafy greens are rich in dietary nitrates, which are known to reduce blood pressure, reduce arterial stiffness, and improve the cellular lining of blood vessels.[6]
- Whole Grains
Whole grains are the healthiest way to satisfy your carbohydrate needs.
Unlike refined grains (white flour, white rice, white bread, etc.), whole grains retain all the nutrients stored in the germ and bran.
This means that whole grains contains significantly more fiber, vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds, providing you with more nutrients per calorie consumed.[7]
The abundance of fiber in whole grains will help reduce bad cholesterol (LDL) levels in your body, which reduces your risk of heart disease. [8]
Additionally, an analysis of 45 studies found that eating three more servings of whole grains daily lead to a decreased risk of heart disease by 22%.[9]
- Berries
Berries, such as strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries, are another type of food that is recognized as an antioxidant powerhouse.
Berries are rich in anthocyanin antioxidants, which can protect your heart from oxidative stress and inflammation that can increase your risk of developing complications in the future.[10]
Consuming berries is also believed to reduce several risk factors for heart disease. Firstly, eating blueberries daily was found to have improved the function of cells located in blood vessels, which helps reduce blood pressure levels and improves blood clotting.[11]
The consumption of berries is also associated with a reduction in bad cholesterol (LDL) levels, body mass index, and inflammation.[12]
- Avocados
Avocados have become extremely popular among health enthusiasts in the West in recent years, and there’s a good reason why. Avocados are one of the best plant sources of monounsaturated fats – a type of fat that is beneficial to your heart health, unlike trans or saturated fats, the unhealthy fats that we would usually think of when we hear the word “fat”.
Monounsaturated fats are great for the heart because it lowers bad cholesterol levels, along with being essential to cellular growth and structure.[13]
For instance, one study found that the overweight and obese people that were instructed to eat more avocados (as part of a cholesterol-lowering diet) were observed to have significantly lower levels of LOL.[14]
Avocados are also rich in potassium, a mineral that is essential in keeping your muscles, such as your heart, moving as they should be.[15]
- Fatty Fish
Fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines, are the prime sources of omega-3 – a fatty acid that many of us would typically encounter as fish oil supplements.
Omega-3 fatty acids are one of the most essential nutrients for heart health. It is known that diets that are characterized by a high consumption of fatty fish have lower rates of cardiovascular disease – as observed in Japanese and Inuit populations.[16]
Experts believe that omega 3 can lower heart disease risk by lowering triglyceride levels, reducing plaque that clogs blood vessels, lowering blood pressure levels, and preventing inflammation.[17]
If fatty fish happens to be hard to obtain where you live, fish oil is an alternative way to fulfill your omega-3 needs.
- Nuts
Nuts may appear small and simple, but these are one of the most nutrient-dense foods in the world. They also happen to contain a lot of nutrients that are beneficial to your heart, making them a heart-healthy snack to replace your favorite potato chips.
Firstly, nuts are an excellent plant source of good unsaturated fats, which lowers your bad cholesterol levels. And not just that, nuts also contain omega-3 fatty acids – it is one of the only few plant sources of this heart-healthy fatty acid. Nuts are made up of 80% fat, and all of those are the healthy kind.[18]
Nuts also contain a significant amount of fiber, which can also lower bad cholesterol levels.
In addition, nuts are rich in vitamin E and L-arginine, two compounds that help improve and maintain the structure of your arteries. This lowers blood pressure levels and reduces the risk of blood clots that can obstruct blood flow (which can be potentially fatal).
- Beans
Beans are one of the most nutrient dense and affordable foods that exist. it is even considered a staple food in many cultures, as it is an incredibly rich food source with a high crop yield. It also happens to provide many heart-healthy nutrients.
First of all, beans are high in potassium and fiber. Fiber lowers bad cholesterol, while potassium makes sure that your muscles, such as your heart, is always up and running. Beans also do not contain compounds that are bad for your heart, such as unhealthy fats, cholesterol, and sodium.[19]
But what makes beans special is that it contains a type of starch that resists digestion, and is instead fermented by beneficial bacteria, which improves heart health by decreasing triglyceride and cholesterol levels.[20]
- Dark Chocolate
If you’re a chocolate lover, then it’s time to start eating dark chocolate for your heart health if you haven’t yet!
Compared to milk or semisweet chocolates, dark chocolate has a higher concentration of cocoa (70% to 99%), and less of the unhealthy added sugars and fats.
Cocoa is what makes dark chocolate so healthy. It is a great source of flavonoid antioxidants compared to most foods, which helps fight off the damaging effects of free radicals on your cardiovascular system.
Several studies were also able to find a link between dark chocolate consumption and a lower risk of heart disease. For instance, one large study found that eating dark chocolate at least five times a week had a 57% lower risk of coronary heart disease compared to those who did not eat chocolates at all.[21]
- Tomatoes
A mainstay in many cuisines, tomatoes are a versatile and highly nutritious food item. It is most notable for its high lycopene content, a carotenoid antioxidant which also gives tomatoes its signature red color.
Lycopene is well known to benefit the heart through its antioxidant properties – it helps neutralize free radicals, which reduces oxidative damage and inflammation which is harmful for the heart in the long run.
Several studies have confirmed that a high intake of lycopene foods, such as the tomato, are associated with a lower risk of heart diseases and stroke.[22]
- Seeds
As tiny as they are, seeds surprisingly pack an impressive nutrition profile, especially the heart healthy nutrients fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. Some of the best examples include chia seeds, flaxseeds, and hemp seeds.
This concoction of nutrients can decrease your risk of heart disease by lowering blood pressure, triglyceride levels, inflammation, and bad cholesterol. That’s a lot of benefits for something so easy to add to your diet!
Although no human studies have been conducted yet, chia seeds were found to lower blood triglyceride and increased good cholesterol (HDL) levels in rats.[23]
- Olive Oil
It’s time to ditch the vegetable or corn oil sitting in your pantry. Olive oil is one of the healthiest cooking fat you can get, and it is especially beneficial for your heart health.
Unlike common cooking oils which typically contain trans or saturated fat, olive oil is classified as a monounsaturated fat. Olive oil is known to reduce the risk of heart disease by reducing blood pressure, inflammation, bad cholesterol levels, and prevent unwanted blood clotting.[24]
Olive oil is also known to contain antioxidants, which further decreases the risk of developing chronic diseases.
To get the most benefits, choose extra virgin olive oil, as it contains higher concentrations of phenolic antioxidants.
- Green Tea
Green tea is generally considered the healthier way of getting your caffeine fix. It is known to provide a wide range of health benefits: fat burning, improve brain function, and improve insulin sensitivity are just some of its scientifically proven benefits.
Green tea is renowned for its rich antioxidant content, specifically polyphenols and catechins. These antioxidant compounds have been found to lower bad cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and triglyceride, and thus can lower your risk of heart disease.[2]
- Garlic
Garlic is a widely used ingredient that provides a pungent and spicy flavor that brightens up many dishes. Garlic is also known to have plenty of health benefits, and it has long been used as a natural treatment for minor ailments, such as colds, digestion problems, or the flu.
Plenty of studies have also found that garlic promotes better heart health.
Firstly, garlic was found to effectively decrease blood pressure levels. In one study, it was found that taking garlic extract supplements daily for 24 weeks were just as effective as prescription drugs in reducing blood pressure levels. This is believed to come from the beneficial allium compound present in garlic.[25]
Garlic was also found to inhibit platelet buildup, a risk factor for blood clots and strokes.[26]
5 Additional Lifestyle Tips for Better Heart Health
Apart from following a healthier diet, there are other changes you can make to your lifestyle for better heart health. The World Health Organization recommends the following practical steps you can take to achieve optimum heart health and decrease your chances of having an encounter with the world’s number one killer.
- Maintain a Healthy Weight
Maintaining a healthy weight isn’t just for aesthetic purposes. Apart from making you look good, maintaining a body mass index (BMI) within 25 is one measure of good health.
If your BMI is beyond 25, then you are classified as overweight or obese. People who fall under this category are more likely to develop cardiovascular diseases due to higher blood pressure, higher bad cholesterol levels, and a higher risk of diabetes.[27]
Likewise, being underweight (BMI = ?) isn’t good either. People who are classified as underweight are also at a high risk of cardiovascular disease, which is believed to be a result of poor nutrition or old age.[28]
- Increase Physical Activity
WHO recommends at least 2.5 hours of physical activity a week – regular exercise is known to improve blood pressure, stabilize cholesterol levels, and controls blood lipid levels. Physical activity is also crucial in maintaining a healthy weight.
- Avoid Tobacco
Tobacco isn’t just bad for your lungs because it can affect your heart as well. Smoking increases blood pressure, heart rate, tightens arteries, and may even cause irregular heart rhythms.[29]
- Avoid Alcohol
Regular or heavy alcohol consumption can heart your heart health by increasing blood pressure and causing excessive weight gain. Excess alcohol drinking may also lead to cardiomyopathy, a heart muscle disease that can lead to heart failure.[30]
- Have Your Blood Pressure and Blood Sugar Checked Regularly
Lastly, always check up on the status of your heart condition by having your blood pressure and blood sugar levels checked as much as possible. Some people may already have complications, such as high blood pressure, without noticing any symptoms. This is especially crucial if you follow a sedentary lifestyle, heavily drink alcohol, or regularly smoke tobacco.
Conclusion
Taking care of your heart health should be one of your highest priorities, even while you are young.
By following a clean diet filled with heart healthy foods, along with regular physical exercise and abstinence from tobacco and alcohol, you’re sure to have a heart that will endure stress even until your golden years.
Even if you currently don’t exhibit any symptoms of high blood pressure or blood sugar levels, it is still important to get a regular checkup.
References
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[29] Texas Heart Institute. (n.d.) Smoking and Your Heart. Retrieved on October 30, 2020 from https://www.texasheart.org/heart-health/heart-information-center/topics/smoking-and-your-heart[30] John Hopkins Medicine. (n.d.) Alcohol and Heart Health: Separating Fact from Fiction. Retrieved on October 30, 2020 from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/alcohol-and-heart-health-separating-fact-from-fiction
