Heart-Healthy Food Gifts

Most people enjoy eating flavorful foods, but many foods are high in fat, cholesterol, sugar and salt and may contribute to poor health. If you're considering giving food as a gift, the typical cookies, chocolate and cakes aren't the best choice. Choosing foods that are heart healthy will promote the recipient's health and send the message that you care about her heart.

Fruit Basket

A fruit basket is loaded with nutrients that promote a healthy heart. Fruit contains fiber, a nutrient that may help lower your cholesterol and improve your blood sugar levels, which will also encourage heart health. Include several different varieties and colors of fruit in your gift to maximize the heart benefits. Fill a basket with apples, oranges, bananas, grapes, berries and kiwis to create an attractive and nutritious gift.

Nuts, Seeds and Olives

A collection of snack foods makes a thoughtful gift and choosing the right foods can make it heart-healthy as well. Robert E. Kowalski reports in his book, "Take the Pressure Off Your Heart," that eating a diet based mostly on plant foods helps reduce your risk of heart disease and heart attack. Include several types of nuts, such almonds, walnuts, pistachios and pecans. Sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds make an attractive, and heart-healthy, addition. A jar of high-quality olives will complement the nuts and seeds as well.

Pasta Assortment with Sauce

Whole-grain pasta supplies fiber and makes a good gift because it can also be stored for several months without spoiling. Choose several different shapes of pasta to make the gift more interesting. A jar of high-quality marinara or other pasta sauce will add vitamin C to the gift and allow the recipient to enjoy a nutritious meal. Include several recipe cards that encourage the recipient to experiment with fresh vegetables and herbs that also encourage heart health.

Cooking Oils

Different varieties of oil lend interesting flavors to food and also provide numerous health benefits. Choose three or four different types of oil and include recipe cards or tips for incorporating them into food. Select the healthiest oils to keep this gift as beneficial as possible. Olive oil is loaded with unsaturated fats that help promote a healthy heart. Walnut oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and adds flavor to baked goods. Flax oil is also high in omega-3 fatty acids and lends a nutty flavor to recipes. Other nut oils, avocado oil and sesame oil are additional flavorful options that support heart health.