Some Incredibly Heart-Healthy Foods

Certain foods, including leafy greens, whole grains, and fatty fish, can benefit your heart health and lower your risk of heart disease.
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 15 foods you should eat to maximize your heart health.
1. Leafy green vegetables
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).

۲. Whole grains
Whole grains include all three nutrient-rich parts of the grain:
• germ
• endosperm
• bran
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.
Multiple studies have found that eating more whole grains can benefit your heart health.

۳. Berries
Berries are rich in antioxidants. Eating them can reduce multiple risk factors for heart disease.
4. Avocados
Avocados are high in monounsaturated fats and potassium. They may help lower your cholesterol, blood pressure, and risk of metabolic syndrome.
5. Fatty fish and fish oil
Fatty fish and fish oil are both high in omega-3 fatty acids and may help reduce heart disease risk factors, including blood pressure, triglycerides, and cholesterol.

۶. Walnuts
Walnuts can help reduce cholesterol and blood pressure and may be associated with a lower risk of heart disease.
7. Beans
Beans are high in resistant starch and have been shown to reduce levels of cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and improve glycemic control.
8. Dark chocolate
Dark chocolate is high in antioxidants like flavonoids. It has been associated with a lower risk of developing calcified plaque in the arteries and coronary heart disease.

۹. Tomatoes
Tomatoes are rich in lycopene and have been associated with a lower risk of heart disease and stroke, as well as an increase in HDL (good) cholesterol.
10. Almonds
Almonds are high in fiber and monounsaturated fats, and have been linked to reductions in cholesterol and belly fat.
11. Garlic
Garlic and its components have been shown to help reduce blood pressure and cholesterol. They may also help inhibit blood clot formation.
12. Olive oil
Olive oil is high in antioxidants and monounsaturated fats. It has been associated with lower blood pressure and heart disease risk.