10 Heart-Healthy Superfoods

What's the formula for a healthy heart? Many factors contribute to your heart health, including exercising regularly, not smoking and eating healthy foods. But some foods pack a bigger nutritional punch than others when it comes to a healthy heart. Here are a handful of foods you should include in your diet if you want to boost your heart health.

Heart-healthy Fruits

Blueberries: High in antioxidants, blueberries are one of the most powerful disease-fighting foods you can eat. They also contain fiber and vitamin C. They're great plain, in a fruit salad, or topping your whole-grain cereal.

Oranges: Everyone knows oranges are rich in vitamin C, but did you know they also contain potassium, folate (folic acid), fiber, carotenoids and flavonoids? Carotenoids are a type of antioxidant that contain the red, orange, and yellow pigments in fruits and vegetables. Flavonoids are a type of polyphenol, which is another kind of antioxidant that helps to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol.

Heart-healthy Vegetables

Spinach: Spinach is the most nutritious of all vegetables, packed with B vitamins, folate, iron, lutein (a carotenoid) magnesium, potassium, calcium and fiber. And it's so versatile; make a salad with it, steam it then add a little garlic and olive oil or chop and freeze it to mix in with pasta, chicken dishes, soups and more.

Black beans and kidney beans: Like spinach, black beans and kidney beans contain B-complex vitamins, folate, magnesium, calcium and fiber, plus niacin and omega-3 fatty acids. Add them to soups and salads for extra flavor and heart-healthy nutrients.

Heart-healthy Fish

Salmon and tuna: The American Heart Association recommends eating fatty fish, such as salmon and albacore tuna, at least twice a week. These fish are abundant in polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids, which help reduce risk factors for heart disease including high cholesterol, high blood pressure and high triglycerides. Omega-3 fatty acids can also help decrease inflammation that contributes to chronic disease, and they improve cognitive and behavioral function.

Heart-healthy Nuts

Walnuts and almonds: If you're counting carbs, walnuts and almonds are good additions to your diet because they contain fiber, along with omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, magnesium, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and phytosterols, which seem to decrease blood cholesterol. Enjoy a handful of plain walnuts or almonds, or chop some up and sprinkle them on salads.

Heart-healthy Grains

Oatmeal: This heart-healthy grain is a smart breakfast choice. Soluble fiber helps fill you up in the morning, while oatmeal's other nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, potassium, folate, niacin and calcium help protect your heart. Studies suggest that oats can lower cholesterol levels and may even help prevent certain cancers.

Flaxseed: This low-carb whole grain packs a huge nutritional punch. Flaxseed is high in vitamin B6, phosphorus, copper, folate, magnesium, manganese, fiber, omega-3 fatty acids and phytonutrients such as lignans, which may help prevent or forestall the onset of Type 2 Diabetes. Research has also shown that flaxseed may decrease the risk of blood clots, stroke, and cardiac arrhythmias. Grind up flaxseed and add it to your favorite heart-healthy hot or cold cereal, muffins or bread.

To protect your heart health, you should go out of your way to eat a variety of fresh foods - fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, and fish. When you include these superfoods in your daily diet, you're sure to reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular disease.