Be Good to Your Heart with Fruits and Vegetables 

Five Simple Ways to Boost Heart Health with Fruits & Veggies 

1. Include fruit canned in 100% juice with low sugar that’s a perfect pair for heart-healthy foods like low sodium cottage cheese, fiber-rich oatmeal, and non-fat, plain, Greek yogurt. 
2. Level up your sandwich with dark greens and sliced avocado to sneak in some veggies and do something great for your heart. 
3. Seek color! Visit your local farmers market or produce section for colorful fruits and veggies. Aim for your basket to reflect the rainbow. 
4. Roast, grill, sauté! Versatile veggies and greens can be prepared and enjoyed in a variety of ways. Add them to salads, grains, eggs and more. Or simply savor them alongside a lean protein for an easy dinner that comes together in minutes. 
5. Canned beans are a simple way to add protein to veggies, grains and more. 

Ten Heart Healthy Produce Picks  

1. Leafy Greens: An abundance of vitamin K found in leafy greens like kale, collards, spinach, parsley, and broccoli promotes healthy arteries. A diet rich in leafy greens can also help lower high blood pressure. 
2. Berries: Berries are rich in antioxidants, like anthocyanin, which helps reduce coronary inflammation. Including raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and other berries in your diet can reduce your risks for heart disease. 
3. Avocados: Monounsaturated fats found in avocados can help reduce unhealthy cholesterol levels. Avocados are also a great source of potassium which can decrease risks for high blood pressure. 
4. Garlic: Regular garlic consumption can help reduce high blood pressure and undesirable cholesterol levels. Raw garlic provides maximum health benefits. Add garlic into your favorite pasta dish, homemade salad dressing, or roasted vegetable recipe. 
5. Edamame: Members of the soybean family, like edamame, are rich in isoflavones which can reduce bad cholesterol levels. High in fiber and antioxidants too, edamame is a superfood for the heart. 
6. Beans: An excellent meat substitute that is much lower in unhealthy cholesterol and saturated fat. High in fiber and minerals too, beans are a powerful protein option for the heart. 
7. Tomatoes: Plump full of potassium, tomatoes can improve your heart health. Red tomatoes exhibit high levels of lycopene which can help lower levels of problematic cholesterol. 
8. Beets: Full of folate, eating beets can help reduce artery inflammation to lower your risks for heart disease. Beets have been proven to reduce high blood pressure too. 
9. Pomegranate: Labeled one of the most heart-healthy juices, consuming pomegranates improves blood flow and artery function. Slowing the heart’s build-up of plaque and bad cholesterol one sip at a time. 
10. Citrus Fruits: Soluble fibers and flavonoids found in citrus help increase healthy cholesterol levels. Citrus also packs a lot of vitamin C, which helps protect against heart disease. 

Get more tips with the Produce for Better Health Foundation’s blog series.