Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States for people of all genders and ethnic groups, killing one person every 36 seconds. As scary as this may be, the good news is that, in many ways, we are able to protect ourselves from it by living a healthy lifestyle. 

Two of the main risk factors for heart disease are high blood pressure and high cholesterol, both things that are impacted by our dietary and exercise habits. If you want to lower your risk of heart disease, one of the most impactful things you can do is eat a healthy diet. 

While there are certainly foods you’ll want to avoid, there are also others that can help improve your heart health. In this article, we’ll share ten foods that can protect your heart and help you live a long, healthy life. 

1. Whole Grains

Studies have shown that whole grains can protect against heart disease, decreasing a person’s risk of developing a heart condition by 10 to 20%. They can also lower one of the risk factors of heart disease by helping to prevent and manage high blood pressure. Additionally, whole grains are also an excellent source of dietary fiber: an essential nutrient in gut health, glucose management, and general wellness.

It is recommended that adults eat three to five servings of whole grains a day. This includes foods like:

• Brown rice
• Whole wheat
• Oats
• Barley
• Rye
• Quinoa
• Buckwheat

Note that food packaging can be misleading, using words like “multigrain” which may not necessarily indicate that a food is made with whole grains. 

2. Berries

Berries are full of an incredibly healthy substance, antioxidants, that have been demonstrated to be helpful in preventing heart disease. Antioxidants work by neutralizing a harmful unstable molecule called free radicals, which the body produces as a reaction to environmental factors. Free radicals can damage cells, leading to illnesses such as heart disease. By inhibiting the oxidation process that produces free radicals, antioxidants can help keep you healthy. 

Studies have shown that eating antioxidant-packed berries can improve cholesterol levels, help control blood pressure, and reduce inflammation. So go ahead and enjoy those strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries!

3. Avocados

While certain types of dietary fats, namely saturated fats, and trans fats, can increase your risk of heart disease, monounsaturated fats can actually reduce your cholesterol and your heart disease risk. And yummy avocados just happen to be full of those healthy fats. They also contain a high level of potassium, which has been shown to be able to decrease blood pressure. 

4. Leafy Greens

It’s a well-known fact that leafy greens are packed full of healthy vitamins and minerals. After all, there’s a reason why your parents told you to eat your spinach, just like Popeye. 

Some of the healthy nutrients found in leafy greens include vitamin K, which helps protect your arteries, and dietary nitrates, which reduce blood pressure. Studies have shown that eating leafy greens can, indeed, lower the risk of heart disease. 

Some leafy greens that are recommended to include in your diet are:

• Spinach
• Kale
• Collard greens

5. Nuts

Nuts like walnuts and almonds contain a lot of healthy ingredients that are great for the heart including fiber, magnesium, copper, manganese, and monounsaturated fats. Studies have shown that walnuts can prevent cardiovascular disease and improve cholesterol.  Almonds have also been demonstrated to improve cholesterol and reduce belly fat, another risk factor for heart disease. Just one note of caution: although they are high in nutrients, nuts are also high in calories, meaning that your intake of them should be limited. 

6. Seeds

Seeds aren’t just for the birds. They’re actually full of heart-healthy nutrients such as fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. That’s why they’re able to improve a number of heart disease risk factors including inflammation, blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood triglyceride levels. Studies have even shown that eating flaxseed can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. 

Seeds that are recommended to add to your diet include:

• Chia seeds
• Flaxseeds
• Hemp seeds

7. Tomatoes

If you’ve ever wondered why tomatoes have that beautiful red color, it’s because of a plant pigment called lycopene that is actually very healthy for your heart as it has powerful antioxidant properties. You might remember that antioxidants can prevent both inflammation and oxidative stress, both things that contribute to heart disease. In fact, having lycopene levels that are too low has actually been associated with an increased risk of a heart attack. Meanwhile, eating more tomatoes and lycopene has been shown to improve blood pressure and cholesterol.  

8. Beans

Have you ever heard of resistant starch? It’s called resistant because it resists digestion, staying in your digestive system long enough to have a healthy impact on your gut and its microbiome of friendly bacteria. And, happily, beans are full of it. That may be one of the reasons why eating them has been associated with better cholesterol and triglyceride levels as well as lower blood pressure and inflammation.  

9. Garlic

Garlic is full of allicin, a compound that has been demonstrated to be very healthy for your heart. This makes it incredibly effective at reducing blood pressure and unhealthy cholesterol levels. The best way to consume garlic to maximize its heart health benefits is to crush it and let it sit for a few minutes, which will allow the most allicin to form. 

10. Dark Chocolate

Craving dessert? Well, if you choose wisely, you might be actually improving your heart health by eating something sweet. Dark chocolate is another food that is full of antioxidants, helping to decrease your risk of coronary heart disease. For the best results, choose a dark chocolate with at least 70% cacao and minimal added sugar. By including these ten nutritious (and delicious!) foods in your diet, you will be eating in a way that protects your heart from conditions such as heart failure. This can help you avoid situations in which you will need to use potentially unsafe medical devices such as the Medtronic HeartWare HVAD, which sadly proved to be dangerous to thousands of people waiting for heart transplants. While many of these patients and their families are now seeking compensation by taking legal action against the HeartWare’s manufacturer, it is much preferred to take preventative action in the form of eating a heart-healthy lifestyle in the hopes of avoiding such outcomes.

Sometimes even with all the preparation and correct nutrition, hearts can still develop adverse health conditions. When hearts need help, many types of devices can be installed in order to keep hearts at maximum capacity. Sometimes, however, heart devices do not function the way they are supposed to. If you or a loved one have been harmed by a faulty heartware device, you may be entitled to financial compensation.

At Select Justice, we partner with experienced, compassionate attorneys who help you get the best possible outcome for your case. Our partners work on contingency which means that if you don’t win, you don’t pay. Contact Select Justice today for a free, no-obligation consultation and begin your journey to justice.