The five healthiest foods for heart health help improve your cardiovascular functioning by properly managing your cholesterol numbers. Eating a diet rich in heart-healthy foods will lower your risks of developing or increasing heart disease, diabetes, stroke and obesity while improving your overall health and vitality. Heart health depends upon eating the proper amounts of foods which are low in saturated and/or trans fats, cholesterol and salt while staying physically active.
Salmon
A number of fatty fish fall within the five healthiest foods for heart health category. Fatty fish, also known as cold water fish, contain large amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, a substance which provides many heart health benefits. Omega-3 fatty acids lower your risks of developing arterial-clogging plaque and blood clots, lower your harmful cholesterol levels, reduce your blood pressure numbers and lower risks of sudden death heart attacks. Other fatty fish include mackerel, lake trout, sardines, herring and albacore tuna. Plan on consuming two servings of fish weekly to obtain the needed cardiovascular benefits to improve heart health.
Almonds
A variety of nuts contain large amounts of heart-healthy polyunsaturated fats. Polyunsaturated fats provide many heart health benefits including lowering harmful cholesterol and keeping arteries clean and healthy. Consume nuts in small portions, only one handful daily or 1.5 oz., due to high calorie and fat content. Substituting nuts for higher-saturated fat and higher-calorie items such as croutons, cheese or meat provides one way to increase your heart health while saving on calories. Other heart-healthy nuts include walnuts, hazelnuts, flaxseeds, pecans and pistachios. In order to receive heart-healthy benefits, choose unsalted or un-coated nuts.
Oats
Whole grains contain rich amounts of soluble fiber which improves your cholesterol profile. Soluble fiber reduces the amount of cholesterol absorbed into your bloodstream. Consuming between 5 to 10 g of soluble fiber daily not only reduces your low-density lipoprotein, known as your harmful or LDL cholesterol, but also lowers your total cholesterol level. Eating a morning bowl of 1 half-cup cooked oatmeal supplies 6 g of soluble fiber. Switch up your oat consumption by alternating between different cuts such as steel cut, rolled, whole oats, groats and/or oat bran.
Soybeans
Choosing plant-based protein over animal-based protein will make managing healthy cholesterol numbers easier. Eating foods rich in animal proteins, such as full-fat dairy products, beef, pork, poultry with skin, lamb and veal, increases total cholesterol and saturated fat numbers while raising the risk for developing heart disease. Increase your consumption of soybean-based foods to 25 g daily to help your heart health. Eating a diet rich in plant-based protein such as soybeans not only lowers cholesterol and saturated fat intake, but provides numerous heart-healthy nutrients including polyunsaturated fats, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. Eat soybean foods including tofu, tempeh, soy milk and vegetarian entrees such as cutlets, burgers or textured vegetable protein. Other protein-rich plant sources include beans, split peas and lentils.
Olive Oil
Olive oil fits in as one of the five healthiest foods for heart health. Olive oil contains rich amounts of monounsaturated fats, a heart-healthy fat that keeps your healthy cholesterol levels untouched while lowering your harmful levels. Limit consumption to 2 tbsp. daily due to high fat content.
