Eat These Ten Healthy Foods to Enhance Heart

Eat These Ten Healthy Foods to Enhance Heart - women holding bag of healthy groceries

Nutrition impacts a person’s overall cardiovascular health. What should you eat to strengthen the heart?

The right foods can be great body and brain boosters. They can also help support the heart and reduce risk of heart disease. Our daily intake should include colorful, whole foods in their most natural form.

Eat often from these ten options to enhance the heart:

  1. Fish, such as salmon, tuna, herring, trout, anchovies and mackerel, are rich in omega-3s. This is a good type of fat that can assist in lowering risks of heart disease.
  2. Healthy nuts like almonds or walnuts. Grab a small handful of these. They make a great snack.
  3. Flaxseeds in ground or milled form are another great omega-3 source. Sprinkle them over yogurt or salads.
  4. Dark beans, such as kidney or black beans are high in fiber and vitamin B. Eat them as a side or make a vegetable chili as a main meal.
  5. Red, orange and yellow vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes and red peppers are filled with carotenoids, fiber and vitamins that are good for the heart. Mix in with chicken or turkey for the added benefits and extra flavor.
  6. Spinach is rich in vitamins and minerals. Eat as part of a salad, in an omelet or blended within a smoothie.
  7. Berries have soluble fiber and nutrients that are good for the heart. Mix up blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and cranberries in meals or eat them as a stand-alone snack.
  8. Tofu is rich in protein and filled with essential amino acids. Sautee it along with veggies in a stir-fry meal.
  9. Fresh, crisp broccoli is full of folate, calcium and fiber. Dip pieces in hummus or mix in salads.
  10. Dark chocolate consumed in small quantities can lower blood pressure. Eat one or two squares, with at least 70 percent cocoa, as a snack for maximum benefits.

These foods offer critical benefits since bodies do not produce enough good fat. Foods, particularly the ones rich in omega-3, like fish, spinach and flaxseeds may minimize inflammation in blood vessels and other parts of the body. In addition, these heart focus foods help combat abnormal heart rhythms, lower blood fat levels called triglycerides and slow plaque buildup inside blood vessels. Choose several from the list daily to maximize your beating heart and blood flow each day.