Seven Foods to Choose to Boost Heart Health

In this article:

• Heart disease is the leading cause of death among men and women in the U.S.
• Lifestyle choices are a major factor in heart disease. You can make healthier choices to lower your risk.
• The American Heart Association includes diet among the Life Essential 8, which also includes weight, blood sugar, blood pressure, blood lipids, physical activity, sleep, and tobacco use.
• Incorporating nutritious foods into your diet can help improve heart health. Whole grains, vegetables, fruit, legumes, fish, and nuts are examples.
• Lark offers support 24/7 to help you reach weight and health goals with or without GLP-1 medications.
  

Thinking about heart health can give you more motivation to eat well. Here’s why. Heart disease is the leading cause of death among men and women in the US, and 9.9% of adults have coronary heart disease or heart failure, or have had a stroke, according to the 2025 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics from the American Heart Association (AHA).

The positive news is that there’s a lot you can do to support heart health since heart disease is largely due to lifestyle choices. The AHA’s Life Essential 8 are risk factors you can modify based on your choices. Each improvement in score is linked to a decrease in heart disease risk.

Here they are.

1. Weight
2. Tobacco
3. Physical activity
4. Blood lipids
5. Blood pressure
6. Blood sugar
7. Sleep
8. Diet

Some foods are high in nutrients and linked to improvements in heart health, but many people fall short. If you’re falling short in one or more categories, you can make changes for the better. Here are some areas that are commonly lacking, and how you can beat the averages.

1. Oatmeal (Whole Grain)

Oatmeal is a whole grain that’s also gluten-free so more people can enjoy it. Whole grains are less processed than refined grains. Refined grains include the starchy endosperm portion of the entire grain kernel, while whole grains also have the germ and bran components. Compared to refined grains, whole grains are naturally higher in nutrients like fiber, vitamin E, and polyunsaturated fats.

Fewer than 10% of Americans achieve the recommendation to consume at least three ounce-equivalents of whole grains each day. One ounce of whole grains includes a slice of whole-wheat bread, ½ cup of cooked pasta, brown rice, or cooked oatmeal, or 1 6-inch whole-wheat or whole-grain corn tortilla.

You can get more whole grains by swapping them for refined grains you may already consume. Choose whole-grain cereal and oatmeal instead of refined cereal, and look for whole-grain bread and pasta instead of white bread and pasta. Check here for whole-grain recipes like Tuna Pasta Salad and Baked Whole-Grain French Toast.

2. Bananas - Whole Fruit

Bananas are the most popular fruit in the US, so feel free to have more! They have resistant starch which can help keep you full. Apples, grapes, and strawberries are also high on the popularity list, and they’re all good choices. Fruit has fiber, potassium, and antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin A, and other phytonutrients. They’re also relatively low in calories and filling.

Only about 1 in 10 Americans get at least 2 cups a day of fruit from whole sources like fresh fruit and unsweetened frozen fruit. Canned fruit, fruit juice, and dried fruit also count as fruits, but they’re more calorie-dense and are high in sugar.

To get more fruit, try having a piece of whole fruit, berries, grapes, cut fruit, or a fruit salad for snacks and dessert. It can also be a side or topping on pancakes or on salmon with citrus salsa. Here are some healthy recipes with fruit.

3. Carrots - Non-Starchy Vegetables

Carrots are high in beta-carotene and fiber, and they’re easy to eat for snacks, as side dishes, and cooked into meatloaf, soups, and stews. Non-starchy vegetables are low in calories and filling. They have nutrients like potassium which lowers blood pressure, antioxidants which support blood vessel function, and fiber, which lowers blood pressure and blood sugar.

Fewer than 10% of Americans get at least 2.5 cups of non-starchy vegetables per day. The most common types are greens like lettuce and spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions. Other examples are zucchini, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and mushrooms. Starchy vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, peas, and acorn squash have nutrients. Still, they’re higher in calories and carbohydrates, so make sure to watch your portion size.

To get more vegetables, try green salads as a side or as an entree with protein. Have roasted vegetables as a side dish, or stuff peppers, tomatoes, or zucchini with lean ground turkey or beans. Add cooked or raw vegetables to bowls, whole-wheat pasta and brown rice salads, eggs, and soups, stew, and meatloaf. Here are some healthy recipes with non-starchy vegetables.

4. Salmon - Fish and Shellfish

Salmon is a fatty fish loaded with omega-3 fats and vitamin D, which both support heart health. Seafood is high in protein, and has long-chain omega-3 fats, which have a wealth of benefits for heart health. Fish and most types of shellfish are free from carbohydrates; a few types of shellfish have minimal carbs.

Only about 1 in 4 adults meets recommendations to consume at least 2 4-ounce servings of seafood per week. Some of the most common choices are tuna, salmon, tilapia, and shrimp. Fatty fish like salmon, tuna, herring, and mackerel are higher in omega-3 fats, while leaner species are lower in calories and fat.

Try low-fat tuna salad, herb-crusted fish, or tuna melts for a delicious meal with fish. Other options are shrimp or fish tacos and tuna crab cakes. You can also simply swap seafood for another protein on salads or with vegetables.

5. Peanuts - Nuts and Seeds

Peanuts are technically legumes, but they’re nutritionally like nuts, and far more popular and inexpensive. Nuts, peanuts, and seeds are high in unsaturated fats, and have fiber and protein. They’re free from cholesterol and low in saturated fat and carbohydrates. Since they’re high in calories, keep portions small. A serving is ½-1 ounce.

Only about 1 in 4 Americans meet recommendations of consuming at least 4 ounces per week. Examples include peanuts, peanut butter, seeds like pumpkin, flax, chia, and sunflower seeds, almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, and hazelnuts.

Try peanut butter, almond butter, or sunflower seed butter as a dip for apples or carrots, or spread them on whole-grain bread or sweet potatoes. Add nuts to salads like parsnip salad with feta, apple, and walnuts, or mix them into veggie burgers before cooking them. Have nuts for a snack along with yogurt or fruit, or use nuts as a topping for cottage cheese or oatmeal.

6. Pinto Beans - Legumes

Pinto beans are the top bean in the U.S., finding their way into soups, burritos, and side dishes. Legumes include beans, split peas, and lentils. They’re special because they count as protein foods and vegetables. They are plant-based sources of protein, so they’re cholesterol-free.

Nutrients like fiber, magnesium, and potassium are just a few that can help lower heart disease risk by lowering blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol.

Roughly 1 in 3 Americans meet recommendations to consume at least 2 cups of cooked legumes per week. Here are examples of legumes to try.

• Beans: Lima beans, garbanzo beans, black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans
• Lentils
• Green and yellow split peas, cowpeas, black-eye peas

You can increase your intake by choosing them as your protein source instead of meat or poultry, or as a high-fiber side dish.

Try soups like heart-healthy minestrone soup, lentil soup, and vegetarian split pea soup to increase your legume consumption. Salad options include Mediterranean garbanzo bean salad and white bean salad with lemon and herbs. Black bean veggie burgers, bean burritos on whole-grain tortillas, black bean dip, and hummus can also give you more options.

7. Broccoli - Dietary Fiber

Broccoli is high in vitamin C and other nutrients, and it’s a good choice if you want to add more fiber. Fiber works in many ways to support heart health. It helps lower blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol. It also helps reduce hunger to make weight management easier.

Fiber consumption is a good indicator of a generally healthy diet since natural sources of dietary fiber are plant-based foods that tend to be less processed and higher in nutrients.

The average American has under 16 grams of fiber daily, compared to recommendations of 28 grams on a 2,000-calorie diet. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, and legumes all have fiber. Look for whole foods compared to processed foods, and choose plant-based proteins like beans or peanut butter instead of red meat.

How Lark Can Help

What you eat affects heart health, and adding nutritious foods to your regular routine can make a difference in heart health, weight management, and the management or prevention of other chronic conditions. Lark can help you make positive choices daily. Your Lark coach is available 24/7 for encouragement, nutrition and physical activity coaching, and habit tracking. Lark can help you make healthy choices and establish habits that fit into your lifestyle so you can lose weight and keep it off with or without GLP-1 medications.

Click here to see if you may be eligible to join Lark today!