7 superfoods for a healthy heart
Incorporating superfoods like nuts and berries can improve heart health and decrease risk of heart disease, stroke and inflammation.
Let’s take a look at seven superfoods with benefits for a healthy heart.
What defines a superfood?
Superfoods are a category of foods that are rich with nutrients such as antioxidants, minerals and vitamins. They are often also packed with fiber, protein and healthy fats.
“Superfoods help promote health by increasing your immune function and decreasing your chance of disease prevention or progression,” registered dietitian Beth Czerwony told the Cleveland Health Clinic.
1. Fish are packed with heart benefits
Regularly eating fish, especially fatty or oily fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel and sardines, is beneficial to heart health. Fatty fish are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, which are proven to protect against heart disease, studies show.
“Eating fish at least twice per week can lower risk of heart disease and stroke. But fatty fish such as salmon may be the healthiest, because they are rich in omega-3 fatty acids,” writes Harvard Health.
A 2020 review of studies suggests regularly eating fish is linked to lower risk of cardiovascular disease, depression and mortality.
If you prefer not to eat seafood, fish oil supplements boast many of the same benefits as fish. Taking fish oil supplements may reduce risk of all-cause mortality, stroke, cardiac death and sudden death, reports the National Institutes of Health.
2. Leafy green vegetables decrease risk of heart disease
Dark, leafy green vegetables like kale, spinach, Swiss chard and collard greens are rich with vitamins, minerals, fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, which are all known to benefit the heart, according to Harvard Health.
The American Heart Association reports that increasing leafy green vegetable consumption is associated with cardiovascular benefit and decreases risk of cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, stroke and mortality
A 2021 study, by the European Journal of Epidemiology, suggests eating just a cup of leafy green vegetables per day can lower risk of heart disease, reports Harvard Health. Researchers followed more than 53,000 people for a 23-year period. Those who consumed dark, leafy greens (like spinach and kale) had a 12% to 26% lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
3. Beans can lower cholesterol
Incorporating beans and other legumes into your diet could improve your blood cholesterol levels, one of the leading causes of heart disease, reports the American Heart Association.
In a 2021 study, 73 adults suffering from LDL (bad) cholesterol ate canned beans (a rotation of black, kidney, navy, pinto and white kidney) daily for one month. Researchers found daily consumption of beans led to a significant decrease in total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. The study notes that increased bean consumption could be a practical prevention strategy for cardiovascular disease.
A 2020 review of several studies notes that regularly eating beans and legumes can decrease LDL cholesterol, improve blood pressure and may lower risk of heart disease, especially in individuals with diabetes.
4. Nuts lower inflammation
Incorporating a handful of nuts into your daily diet may be healthy for your heart, according to the Mayo Clinic. Nuts are an excellent source of protein, healthy fats and fatty acids. Frequently eating nuts can lower levels of inflammation, a cause of heart disease, improve artery health, lower risk of high blood pressure and decrease risk of stroke.
“Tree nuts (such as walnuts, pecans and pistachios) are excellent sources of fiber, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, all known to protect heart health. Eating nuts lowers harmful LDL cholesterol, raises protective HDL cholesterol and lowers blood pressure,” reports Harvard Health.
Researchers found that adults with high cholesterol who ate almonds daily for six weeks experienced reduced belly fat and lower levels of levels of LDL cholesterol — both leading risk factors for heart disease, the 2017 study reports.
Another study, from 2019, found an association between frequent nut consumption and decreased risk of mortality due to cardiovascular disease as well as a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
5. Olive oil can lower risk of death from heart disease
Olive oil is an excellent source of antioxidants, which can ease inflammation and lower risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes, reports a 2018 study.
“Among all edible plant oils, olive oil has the highest percentage of monounsaturated fat, which lowers ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol and increases ‘good’ HDL. It’s been shown to lower blood pressure and contains plant-based compounds that offer anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties known to reduce the disease process, including heart disease,” reports the American Heart Association.
Researchers from the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that adults experienced lower rates of premature death and cardiovascular disease when they consumed at least a half teaspoon of olive oil per day.
Another study, from 2014, observed more than 7,200 adults with high risk of heart disease. Researchers found those who consumed the highest amounts of olive oil experienced a 35% lower risk of heart disease. Also, consuming more olive oil is linked to a 48% lower risk of death from heart disease.
6. Dark chocolate may reduce heart disease risk
Dark chocolate is packed with antioxidants such as flavonoids. Regularly eating high flavanol cocoa or dark chocolate can lower blood pressure and improve cardiovascular health, a 2017 study found.
A 2019 review of several studies suggested consuming 45 grams of chocolate each week lowers risk of cardiovascular disease by 11%. Eating more than 100 grams of chocolate each week was not associated with the same health benefits due to a higher sugar consumption.
Another review of studies found that consuming dark chocolate three times every week lowered cardiovascular disease risk by 9%.
Research “suggests that chocolate consumption confers reduced risks of CHD (coronary heart disease), stroke and diabetes,” the study review claims. “Consuming chocolate in moderation (1–6 servings/week) may be optimal for the prevention of these burdensome diseases.”
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7. Strawberries and blueberries are good for your heart
Strawberries and blueberries help maintain a healthy heart.
A 2013 study, published in the journal Circulation, found that regular consumption of blueberries and strawberries was linked to a significantly lower risk of heart attack. Researchers followed more than 90,000 women over an 18-year period. The women who ate these berries a few times a week had a 34% lower risk of heart attack than the women who ate these berries once a month or less.
Another study, published in the 2019 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researched the impact of eating one cup of blueberries every day for six months. Researchers found that the daily consumption of blueberries improves heart health in overweight and obese adults.
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