7 Heart-Healthy Foods

Updated June 29, 2013
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Not sure what to eat for a healthy heart? Protect your ticker by adding these superfoods to your diet.
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The heart smart diet

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"Certain key foods can dramatically reduce your heart disease risk,"says Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, an associate professor of medicine and epidemiology at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Add these superfoods today for a healthier heart.

Watch the video: 3 Heart-Healthy Diet Myths, Debunked!

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Oatmeal

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A review of 67 studies showed that diets high in soluble fiber, like the kind in steel-cut oats, decrease total and LDL ("bad") cholesterol.

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Salmon

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Oily fish are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which help protect your heart.

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Nuts

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Go for walnuts, almonds, and macadamia nuts, which boast good-for-you mono- and polyunsaturated fats.

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Extra-virgin olive oil

A huge body of research confirms that its monounsaturated fats lower LDL cholesterol and reduce your risk of heart disease.

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Berries

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They lower inflammation and have a host of other cardiovascular perks, according to a report in the Nutritional Review.

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Beans

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In one study, people who ate legumes—like beans and lentils—at least four times a week had a 22% lower risk of heart disease than people who ate them less than once a week.

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Broccoli

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This—and other green veggies like kale and spinach—have anti-inflammatory and detoxifying effects, a 2008 study shows.

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