Complete List of Heart-Healthy Foods

In the United States, heart disease is the number one cause of death. While there are some risk factors we can't control, like genetics, the good news is that many of these deaths can be prevented with lifestyle changes, including a better diet. Eating for heart health is about eating foods that support health and limiting certain foods and ingredients. Read on for a guide to what heart-healthy foods to buy, including fruits and vegetables, meat, seafood, grains, desserts, frozen foods and drinks, plus what foods to limit to support your heart.

Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are the foundation of a heart-healthy diet. They provide nutrients that are linked to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, including fiber, potassium, magnesium and phytonutrients. "Don't worry about which ones are 'best' and choose the ones you will actually eat," encourages Lindsey Pine, M.S., RDN, CLT, owner of Tasty Balance Nutrition. Megan Byrd, RD, at The Oregon Dietitian, adds, "To get the most out of the produce aisle, choose a variety of colors."

Frozen fruits and vegetables are just as nutritious as fresh. Just watch out for added sugars or salt. Canned fruits and vegetables can be part of a heart-healthy diet, but limit ones with added sugar or lots of sodium. Diets high in sugar are linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and too much sodium can increase risk of high blood pressure.

Choose These More Often:

• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Avocados, which offer heart-healthy monounsaturated fats
• Fresh herbs, like basil and cilantro
• Frozen fruits and vegetables
• Canned fruit in 100% fruit juice
• No-salt-added canned vegetables or reduced-sodium options

Limit These Choices:

• Canned vegetables with added salt
• Canned fruit in heavy syrup or light syrup

Meat, Poultry, Fish and Plant-Based Proteins

When choosing heart-healthy proteins, plant-based proteins, seafood and lean meats are best. They are abundant in the Mediterranean diet, a dietary pattern that has been shown to reduce risk of cardiovascular disease.

Byrd recommends avoiding high-fat and processed meats such as bacon, sausage and heavily marbled cuts of beef and pork. Processed meats, especially those with more saturated fat are linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease. But you may even want to give some of the leaner cuts of red meat a second look. Some research suggests eating red meat increases a circulating chemical called TMAO, which may also increase your risk of cardiovascular disease. That's not to say you can never enjoy a steak or a hamburger, just choose those less often.

Choose These More Often:

• Beans (dried or canned with no added salt)
• Lentils
• Tofu and tempeh
• Nuts and seeds
• Fish, especially salmon, mackerel and sardines, which are high in heart-healthy omega-3 fats
• Eggs
• Lean poultry (skin removed)
  

Limit These Choices:

• Red meat
• Processed meats including sausage, bacon, salami, hot dogs, etc.

Grains

When choosing grain-based products, "it's all about whole grains," says Laura Yautz, RDN, at Being Nutritious. Whole grains contain fiber and phytonutrients linked to reduced risk of heart disease. "Watch out for labels like 'made with whole grains,' which can be misleading marketing claims," adds Yautz. While whole grains may be in those products, they don't necessarily make up a big chunk of them. There may not be as much beneficial fiber as you might think. Instead, look for the 100% Whole Grain Stamp, which indicates that all of the grains in the product are whole. Or look for products that list a whole grain, like whole-wheat flour, as the first ingredient.

That said, "Bread products can be a sneaky source of sodium," notes Pine. And Jennifer O'Donnell-Giles, M.S., RD, CSSD, adds to also watch out for hydrogenated oils and added sugars, which can show up in breads, cereals and crackers.

"One easy way to identify heart-healthy packaged grains is to look for the American Heart Association heart check, which signifies it meets specific guidelines outlined by the AHA," says Tejal Pathak, M.S., RD, LD. However, not all heart-healthy foods will have this check mark. For example, bulk whole grains or whole-grain breads from local bakeries are unlikely to have gone through the approval process for the stamp.

Your best bets are going to be whole-grain products like oatmeal and whole-wheat pasta. If you're buying any packaged or processed grains—like crackers or bread—keep an eye on sodium and added sugars, and choose whole-grain options most often.

Choose These More Often:

• Oats and oatmeal
• Farro
• Wheat berries
• Amaranth
• Barley
• Rye and rye berries
• Quinoa
• Buckwheat
• Kamut
• Brown rice
• Whole-grain bread, pasta and crackers
• Whole-grain cereals with < 5 grams added sugar

Limit These Choices:

• White bread, pasta and rice
• Cereals made with refined grains and those with > 5 g of added sugar
• Crackers and breads made from refined grains
• Grain-based cereal bars
• Grain-based desserts

Dairy and Dairy Alternatives

Research on dairy and cardiovascular disease is evolving. Research suggests that full-fat dairy products might not increase your risk for heart disease as much as we once thought. However, when dairy is replaced with whole grains or plant-based oils, cardiovascular disease risk goes down. The American Heart Association still recommends limiting saturated fat, so choose low-fat or fat-free dairy options most often.

"Use full-fat dairy products like butter and whole milk where it really counts for flavor, but cook with plant-based oils like avocado and olive oil most often," recommends Pine. Another thing to watch out for in dairy products is sugar, which shows up in many flavored products and plant-based dairy alternatives.

Choose These More Often:

• Plain low-fat or fat-free yogurt
• Plain low-fat or fat-free milk
• Unsweetened plant-based milks and yogurts
• Flavorful cheese where a little goes a long way such as Parmesan, sharp Cheddar and blue cheese.
• Low-sodium cottage cheese

Limit These Choices:

• Sweetened yogurts
• Sweetened plant-based dairy alternatives
• Heavy cream
• Butter

Sauces, Condiments and Spices

This can be a tricky part of the grocery store for those looking to eat for heart health. But, "A heart-healthy diet doesn't have to be bland," says O'Donnell-Giles. Limit products that contain a lot of saturated fat, salt and added sugar. Christa Brown, M.S., RDN, suggests looking for dressings and condiments made from olive or canola oil, both of which are linked to a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease as part of a balanced eating plan.

You'll also want to consider the rest of your diet. For healthy blood pressure, it's recommended you keep sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams per day (under 1,500 mg if you are at high risk for heart disease), and sugar consumption to less than 24 g (about 6 teaspoons) per day for women and 36 g (about 9 teaspoons) per day for men. This can add up quickly with condiments. Often the best option is to make your own, but read labels and look for low-sodium (<140 mg per serving) and low-sugar (<3 g per serving) options.

Choose These More Often:

• Plant-based oils, including olive, canola, avocado and nut/seed oils
• Vinegar
• Spices and dried herbs
• Mayonnaise made from canola, olive or avocado oil
• All-natural nut and seed butters made without added sugar or hydrogenated oils

Limit These Choices:

• Spice blends that contain salt
• Soy sauce and other sauces high in sodium
• Tomato sauce
• Bottled salad dressings
• Some hot sauces
• Sauces made with heavy cream
• Barbecue sauce, ketchup and other sweet sauces
• Jam and jelly (low-sugar varieties are OK)
• Coconut oil, which is high in saturated fat

Snack Aisle

The snack aisle has evolved in recent years, and if you know what to look for, you can find heart-healthy options. But sneaky marketing claims can steer you wrong, so read ingredient lists and Nutrition Facts labels. Yautz recommends keeping sodium below 140 mg per serving, added sugar under 3 g per serving and saturated fat less than 2 g per serving. Fresh fruits and vegetables make great snacks, but here are some options to choose when you're in the snack aisle. Be sure to read labels.

Choose These More Often:

• Nuts and seeds (choose low-sodium and no-salt-added options)
• Bars made from dried fruit and nuts or seeds
• Low-fat popcorn
• Whole-grain crackers
• Dehydrated fruit and vegetables
• Roasted chickpeas and other dried bean snacks

Limit These Choices:

• Crackers, cookies and bars made with refined grains and added sugar
• Chips, pretzels and other salty snacks
• Fruit snacks and other high-sugar options

Freezer Aisle

Frozen foods have also progressed, with more emphasis on healthy options. However, many are still high in sodium, sugar and saturated fat, all of which should be limited on a heart-healthy diet, notes Byrd.

Choose These More Often:

• Plain frozen fruits and vegetables
• Frozen whole grains, like brown rice
• Whole-wheat breads and pizza dough
• Bean- and vegetable-based vegetarian burgers (watch the sodium)
• Plain frozen fish

Limit These Choices:

• Most frozen dinners
• Frozen desserts
• Breaded and fried options

Desserts

If you're looking for a sweet treat, dark chocolate, which contains flavonoids, (phytonutrients that may contribute to less heart disease) is a great option. Fresh fruit is another good bet. Most other desserts contain a lot of added sugar. So, desserts should be something to enjoy on occasion or make yourself. Our heart-healthy dessert recipes all have limited saturated fat and sodium and are often made with less sugar.

Beverages

Water is one of the best options for overall health, but what about other drinks? Sugary drinks are among the top contributors of added sugar in Americans' diets, and should be limited. Diet sodas, made with sugar substitutes, aren't considered any better for heart health. While too much caffeine, found in soft drinks and foods, can raise blood pressure in some people, coffee and tea contain antioxidants that may be good for your heart.

What about alcohol? Research suggests that people who drink red wine in moderation may be at lower risk for cardiovascular disease, but there isn't evidence to suggest that you should start drinking red wine if you don't already drink alcohol.

Choose These More Often:

• Water
• Unsweetened seltzers
• Unsweetened tea or coffee
• Moderate intake of red wine

Limit These Choices:

• Sugary beverages
• Coffee drinks made with cream and sugar or syrups
• Excessive alcohol

The Bottom Line

Eating for heart health is about choosing whole, fresh foods more often and limiting foods that don't support health, like added sugars and saturated fats. Choose water over sugary beverages and read food labels to become more familiar with what is in your food. Limit the sodium in your foods to help keep your blood pressure in a healthy range.