15 Tasty, Heart-Saving Foods

Avocados can be a great source of “good fats” that help to lower blood cholesterol levels as well as reduce the chance of blood clots. So, get some of that wheat toast you’ve been eating plain and smear a little heart-healthy, tasty avocado on it for a treat.

Mmm…Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries, oh my! Is your mouth watering yet? All these fruits contain heart-healthy antioxidants that can protect against stress and inflammation that contribute to heart disease.

Who doesn’t love a good yogurt break? Low-fat yogurt contains good calcium and potassium and can help to lower blood pressure and promote good heart health.

These tasty nuts contain heart-healthy fats and can be used to help lower cholesterol. Toss a handful of them into your blueberry yogurt for a fun crunch or just a little extra flavor.

These naturally sweet treats contain antioxidants called anthocyanins that promote heart health. Bake a few cherries into your bran muffins to sweeten them up a little!

Praise the wine Gods for resveratrol! Resveratrol is found in dark-skinned berries and grapes and encourages a reduction in cholesterol while increasing artery health. While wine may be heart healthy, as with all things, WebMD recommends that we drink it in moderation. One glass for the ladies and up to two glasses for the gents, per day.

Need a substitute for that heart-unhealthy salt? Garlic (but not garlic salt!) and/or any natural herb can dress up any dish while lowering your chances of forming blood clots as well as reducing your cholesterol and blood pressure.

Add a little heart-healthy butter containing Omega-3s and you have yourself a yummy, guilt-free sweet potato! Yams contain Vitamin C, calcium, and iron which all work together to help reduce high blood pressure.

You probably already know that oranges are chock-full of potassium, calcium, and Vitamin C. However, did you know that the citrus in oranges has the ability to help blood flow to the heart, lower cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure in men, and boost overall blood vessel health? Thanks to the folks at the Cleveland Clinic, we do now!

All of the heart-healthy nutrients you’re searching for can be found in the nutrient-rich skin of any type of apple. And the best benefit of eating an apple with the skin on is that they can help block the absorption of cholesterol. Whoa! An apple a day really can keep the doctor away!

Apparently, you can eat chocolate and have your cake, too! Okay, well maybe not if you’re on a heart-healthy diet plan. However, dark chocolate contains amounts of fiber and protein that only grow with higher percentages of cocoa. Dark chocolate that contains a percentage of at least 70% cocoa and above promotes lower blood pressure, relaxes the arteries, and as a result, increases blood flow.

Another tasty snack! Raisins are packed with potassium that helps to reduce blood pressure. Mix some raisins in with your bran cereal or steel cut oats for a sweet morning treat!

We bet you didn’t realize that tomatoes are a heart-saving food. That’s okay because we didn’t either! Tomatoes are loaded with lycopene, which helps to protect against stress and inflammation that contribute to heart disease.

Sweet, lovely, caffeinated, beautiful coffee is heart-healthy, too! The coffee bean is high in antioxidants, which serve to protect the heart and help to reduce inflammation. Be sure to use a sugar substitute like coconut flakes in order to keep your diet on track.

As well as mackerel, herring, lake trout, sardines, and anchovies; these fish are rich in Omega 3s that can reduce triglycerides, slow the buildup of plaque in arteries, and slightly lower blood pressure.