Your heart beats about 115,000 times a day. Weighing in at less than a pound, the heart is a muscle which pumps oxygenated blood throughout your body. Vital to life, the heart is the center of your circulatory system. Your heart is a muscle which needs regular exercise to keep it pumping strong. You can also support heart health by eating superfoods. In this article you’ll learn about five heart-specific superfoods you should be fueling your body with! 

1. Berries

Berries not only taste great, but they’re great for your heart. Rich in antioxidants, berries help protect your body from cellular damage. Blueberries and strawberries in particular are high in anthocyanins, which lower blood pressure and protect blood vessels. 

In order to gain the full heart health benefits of these superfoods, researchers recommend eating blueberries and strawberries three times a week. Unfortunately, berry-flavored baked goods don't count. Dried berries only have 20% as many phytonutrients and more sugar. So make sure you enjoy those berries fresh and whole!

2. Beans

Beans are one of the most underrated superfoods, but they are not to be ignored. Beans are amazing because they are full of nutrients and fiber that our bodies crave, yet they contain very little sodium or fat and no cholesterol, which our bodies need less of. Beans are an excellent source of fiber and minerals! Full of essential vitamins, beans have heart health written all over them. 

The great news is that beans are inexpensive and simple to cook! You can easily add them to soups, salads or enjoy them by themselves. Beans are a valuable addition to any plant-based diet. Thanks to their rich fiber content, beans can also protect your digestive system and lower high cholesterol. Beans are a nutritional powerhouse that can power you all day long. 

Find a selection of dry beans in our bulk department! Their long shelf life makes beans a great item to keep in stock in your pantry. Our grocery shelves are full of organic canned beans as well which make adding beans to your diet even easier. 

3. Dark Leafy Greens

Vitamin K levels pay a key role in heart health.  When calcium builds up in the arteries you are more prone to heart disease. Vitamin K2 prevents calcification of the arteries by pulling current calcium out of your arteries! Eating plenty of dark leafy greens is a great way to get Vitamin K and plenty of other rich nutrients into your diet. 

Superfoods like kale, micro greens and broccoli are some of the best veggies you can eat for health.  Low in calories and high in fiber, leafy greens reduce the risk of obesity and heart disease. An important B vitamin called folatek that is helpful for heart disease prevention. The benefits of these greens don't stop with heart health – the vitamins and antioxidants found in them can also prevent many types of cancers and strengthen bones.

You can find a variety of dark leafy greens in our produce department. Here’s some great ones to add to your weekly shopping list:

• Kale

• Spinach

• Broccoli

• Lettuce (not iceberg or romaine)

• Bok choy

• Microgreens

4. Avocado

When it comes to heart health we often think that fats are something to avoid. However, there are certain fats you may actually want to increase in your diet. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are essential to heart-health. These fats can help reduce inflammation and lower your cholesterol. The great news is avocados are a perfect source for good fat! 

Avocados are also high in fiber, which can help reduce cholesterol levels and decrease heart disease. Beyond heart health, avocados are rich in many other nutrients. But honestly, it’s not like we need more excuses to enjoy avocados! Their creamy, deliciousness goes great with anything. What’s not to love about this superfood? 

5. Oats

Oats are a type of whole grain that provide a beta glucan to your diet. Beta glucan is a soluble fiber that helps lower bad cholesterol. It’s actually so effective at lowering cholesterol that it can even help open clogged arteries. Fiber is known to help with digestive health, but it can also prevent heart attacks or strokes.

Oats are also high in vitamin E, which is known to strengthen the cardiovascular system. Vitamin E helps detoxify your body by removing free radicals, which cause damage to artery walls. 

It’s up to you to live a heart healthy lifestyle.

Keep in mind that healthy eating can greatly improve your health, but it is not a replacement for prescribed medications for heart conditions or heart disease. And eating superfoods alone may not be enough to fully promote heart health. A balanced diet should include the right amounts of protein, fiber, vitamins, fat and calories to maintain a reasonable body weight.