
Can pets help keep you healthy? Exploring the human-animal bond. Projected effect of dietary salt reductions on future cardiovascular disease. Retrieved from /tea-drinking-linked-to-better-heart-health/ Tea drinking linked to better heart health. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy. It can also be helpful to learn your blood type and what it means for your risk of specific cardiovascular conditions.Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. Once you learn that seal, it can make it easier to stock your cart with foods for heart health.įor the best results, pair your heart-healthy diet with other heart health boosters like regular exercise, sleep and stress management techniques. The American Heart Association has certified certain foods for heart health and given them the Heart-Check seal, which you can find on some food packaging. Think butter (controversial for health) versus olive oil (definitely part of a heart-healthy diet). If it would be a liquid, it most likely falls under the unsaturated variety. You can get these from fish, nuts and seeds, along with avocados and moderate amounts of plant oils like:Īs a general rule of thumb, if the fat would be solid at room temp, it's probably saturated. While trans and saturated fats have been linked to cardiovascular issues in numerous studies, your body, including your heart, needs healthy fats. You might think that fat spells heart trouble, but it's all about the type of fat. Swap some of your red meat and cured pork for the options above and you'll be doing your heart a favor. Fish, especially ones high in omega-3 fatty acids. So you have plenty of options, stock up on: Experts recommend mixing up your protein sources. The key here is to look for plant-based protein, lean animal proteins and fish. While certain proteins - like red and processed meat - can be hard on your heart, others top the list of foods for heart health. Plus, complex carbs can also be found in beans, potatoes, peas and corn. If you're looking for a heart-healthy diet, choose products that have whole grains in their ingredient list. Plus, they often come packed with vitamins and minerals like iron, selenium, thiamin (Vitamin B1), riboflavin (Vitamin B2), niacin (Vitamin B3), folate (Vitamin B9) and magnesium. But complex carbohydrates, like the ones you'll find in whole grain products, deliver fiber, which we've already mentioned as a heart health booster. Refined carbs like the ones in white bread fly through your body, usually doing you more harm than good. Just make sure they're marked low-sodium. You can get plenty of nutritional benefits from frozen, dried and canned options. And if fresh produce doesn't work for your budget or your lifestyle, don't worry. Long story short, the more produce you're packing in, the better. Leafy greens deliver fiber, which can help to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Cruciferous veggies may help to prevent clogged arteries. Bananas and sweet potatoes deliver potassium, a key mineral for heart health.
That's because veggies and fruit load in a lot of nutritional density per bite. Your body benefits from eating quite a bit of produce. Remember the food pyramid from back in the day? It was on to something. If you want to feel good about what your next grocery trip will do for your heart health, you can grab items in these specific categories. Just make sure that these foods aren't taking over every meal, and try to add as many heart-healthy foods into your day as you can. You can still include them in your diet (unless your doctor says otherwise). If a lot of your favorites are on the less heart-healthy list, don't panic.
Refined carbohydrates (for example, white breads and snacks).Processed meats (for example, lunch meat, salami and hot dogs).
Healthy heart pro full#
According to the AHA and Department of Health, a heart-healthy diet is rich in:Ī diet full of colorful fruits and vegetables, whole grains and healthy proteins and fats will give your body the fiber, vitamins and minerals it needs to support a healthy heart.Ĭonversely, if you're trying to boost cardiovascular health, you want to limit your intake of: