5 Best Foods to Maintain Heart Health

Written by: Jordan Stachel

Improving heart health is important for maintaining a healthy body and for promoting a long life. After all, without the heart in top condition, the body is unable to function at its best. Several nutrients support cardiovascular wellness. Read this article to find out the best foods for heart health.

1. Berries

When it comes to fruit, not all fruits are created equal in terms of sugar content and benefit to the body. While it is generally a good rule of thumb to try to "eat the rainbow" and vary your consumption to get the most amount of colors to increase antioxidant intake, there are some fruits that are better than others for improving heart health.

Berries are a great fruit to include if you want to boost cardiovascular health. Berries provide the body with antioxidants and polyphenols (these are good nutrients in foods), that have been proven to improve heart function.[1] The berries with the richest or deepest colors are particularly helpful, such as blueberries, blackberries, cranberries, and strawberries.[1] Increasing berry intake helps to boost anti-inflammatory processes in the body, which reduces oxidative (bad) stress, which is heart-protective. Use some of these ideas to help incorporate more berries into your meals and snacks:

Breakfast: Greek yogurt parfait with blueberries and raspberries Lunch: grilled chicken salad with strawberries and goat cheese Snack: raspberries stuffed with dark chocolate chips

2. Vegetables

The next food that is best for heart health shouldn't come as a shock: vegetables. Most vegetables are helpful to consume and are heart-protective. This is because vegetables also provide the body with those good nutrients, similar to berries.[2]

It is also helpful to use the "eat the rainbow" guideline for increasing veggie intake, trying to get as many different colors of vegetables as possible. This helps lower inflammation in the body and promotes a healthier heart.

Some of the vegetables that are particularly helpful for heart health are potatoes, tomatoes, onions, celery, broccoli, lettuce, and asparagus.[2] These veggies help to regulate blood pressure and cholesterol levels, which is beneficial for heart functioning. Use some of these ideas to help incorporate more veggies into your meals and snacks:

Breakfast: omelet with onions and chopped asparagus Snack: celery with peanut butter Lunch: grilled chicken salad with strawberries and goat cheese Dinner: stir fry with broccoli, tofu, brown rice and sesame

3. Whole Grains

The next food that is heart-protective is whole grains. Whole grains provide the body with fiber and nutrients in the grain, like endosperm, germ, and bran.[3] Refined grains like white flour products do not have these nutrients and, as a result, are less nutrient-dense than the whole grain alternative. In addition, whole grains give the body vitamins like B vitamins and some minerals that white flour products do not.

Including more whole grains has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. Including more whole grains in your diet can aid in reducing blood pressure, reducing fat in the blood, and reducing the bad kind of general cholesterol.[3] For these reasons, including more whole grains can be heart-protective. Try to consume a few servings of whole grains daily, if possible, for heart health. Use some of these ideas to help incorporate more whole grains into your meals and snacks:

Breakfast: oatmeal with chia seeds, collagen protein, and berries Snack: whole grain crackers with cheese Lunch: tuna salad sandwich on whole grain bread Snack: pretzels with hummus Dinner: stuffed peppers with farro, chicken, and veggies

4. Healthy Fats

There are different kinds of fats and often confusion about which kinds you should include for heart health. Including unsaturated fats is most helpful for the heart. There are different kinds of unsaturated fats and all are heart-protective and helpful.[4]

The fats that you want to limit for heart health are saturated fats and trans fats. These fats are not heart-protective and, in excess, can be detrimental. Foods that are high in saturated fats include red meat, full-fat dairy, coconut, dark meat chicken, and palm oil. These foods in moderation may be fine. However, it is always best to ask a qualified healthcare provider for more guidance.

Trans fats should be avoided at all costs for heart health. Foods that are high in trans fats include margarine, shortening, fried foods, and some baked goods. Trans fats are not helpful because they are pro-inflammatory to the body and the heart. This is partly due to the way in which they are made, which is sometimes through the process of changing the fat, resulting in what is known as hydrogenated products.[5]

Unsaturated fats, on the contrary, are very heart-protective and can help improve heart health. Unsaturated fats include foods like olive oil, avocados and avocado oil, nuts, seeds, nut butters, and fatty fish (salmon, sardines).

Unsaturated fats that come from fish are high in specific omega-3s that are also helpful for the body, the heart, and the brain.[4] Omega-3s include eicosatetraenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are found in fatty fish and help support the heart. Use some of these ideas to help incorporate more healthy fats into your meals and snacks:

Breakfast: whole grain toast with peanut butter and banana Snack: chips and guacamole Lunch: salmon with couscous and veggies Snack: hummus made with extra virgin olive oil and carrots Dinner: shrimp tacos with veggies and sliced avocado Snack: Greek yogurt and chocolate chips drizzled with almond butter

5. Lean Proteins

When it comes to proteins, some kinds are better than others. Choosing lean proteins, meaning that they are low in saturated fat, is most helpful for heart health for the reasons shared above. In addition, getting enough lean protein is important for the heart, as it helps to feed your muscles and to support a healthy metabolism.[6]

It is also helpful to choose proteins that are rich in the omega-3s, as listed above, including fatty fish.

Choosing plant-based proteins is also a very heart-healthy choice, as plant-based proteins are very low or don't have saturated fat, and they contain other nutrients that are beneficial.[6] Some helpful plant-based proteins to try to include include organic soy (tofu, soymilk), tempeh, and meat alternatives that are made with wheat proteins or other ingredients that do not contain saturated fats.

Foods like nuts, seeds, and beans also provide the body with some heart-protective protein sources but are not complete proteins. To feed your muscles best, try to consume nuts, seeds, and beans with other foods to create complete proteins, or consume them with a complete protein source. For example, having chickpeas with tofu would work!

In addition, non-fat dairy sources can also be a great lean protein source. Foods like non-fat yogurts and/or cottage cheese can help boost protein intake while avoiding saturated fats. Some protein supplement foods like protein powders and bars can also be helpful for some people to increase protein intake. Use some of these ideas to help incorporate more lean proteins into your meals and snacks:

Breakfast: non-fat Greek yogurt with berries and whole-grain granola Snack: smoothie with protein powder, banana, and peanut butter Lunch: bagel with cream cheese and lox Snack: turkey roll-ups with sliced turkey, hummus, and cucumber Dinner: tofu stir fry with wild rice, edamame, and veggies

Improve Your Heart Health With Everlywell

Everlywell offers several heart health tests that you can take from the comfort of your own home that can serve as a good jumping-off point to assess where your heart health is at. Taking care of your heart health doesn't have to be difficult or confusing. Take the first steps today with Everlywell.

References: Basu A, Rhone M, Lyons TJ. Berries: emerging impact on cardiovascular health. Nutrition Reviews. 2010;68(3):168-177. doi:10.1111/j.1753-4887.2010.00273.x. Published March 1, 2010. Accessed February 2, 2025. https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/article-abstract/68/3/168/1910550?redirectedFrom=fulltext

Tang GY, Meng X, Li Y, Zhao CN, Liu Q, Li HB. Effects of vegetables on cardiovascular diseases and related mechanisms. Nutrients. 2017;9(8):857. doi:10.3390/nu9080857. Published July 10, 2017. Accessed February 2, 2025. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/9/8/857

Zong G, Gao A, Hu FB, Sun Q. Whole grain intake and mortality from all causes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Circulation. 2016;133(24):2370-2380. doi:10.1161/circulationaha.115.021101. Published June 14, 2016. Accessed February 2, 2025. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.115.021101

Hayes J, Benson G. What the latest evidence tells us about fat and cardiovascular health. Diabetes Spectrum. 2016;29(3):171-175. doi:10.2337/diaspect.29.3.171 World Health Organization: WHO. Trans fat. Published January 24, 2024. Accessed February 2, 2025. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/trans-fat

Writer S. Higher ratio of plant protein to animal protein may improve heart health | Harvard T.H. Chan School of. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Published December 8, 2024. Accessed February 2, 2025. https://hsph.harvard.edu/news/higher-ratio-of-plant-protein-to-animal-protein-may-improve-heart-health/