Your golden ticket to a healthy heart may be in the colors on your plate. Heart disease is a major issue. It affects one in three Americans and is the focus of the government’s Million Hearts campaign.
The risk factors for heart disease — high blood pressure, high cholesterol and obesity — are preventable and controllable. In fact, research shows that you can reduce your risk by as much as 82% by adopting sensible health habits. And people ages 70 to 90 can reduce their chance of dying from heart disease by nearly two-thirds just by living a healthy lifestyle.
Colorful foods rich in antioxidants, vitamins and other nutrients can help control your blood pressure and cholesterol. Combine a well- balanced diet, exercise and sufficient sleep, and you’re on your way to a healthy heart.
The challenge
Brighten your plate at breakfast, lunch and dinner.
- Try two new foods a day.
- Mix and match colors to create a new meal.
- Share your favorite color combinations or new foods with your family and friends.
Expand the colors below to view the best foods to help your heart.
Blue
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Blueberries. This low-calorie, itty-bitty berry is jam-packed with heart-protective antioxidants (ranked the highest of all fruits), fiber and vitamin C (14% and 25% of your daily dose, respectively). Foods rich in fiber, such as blueberries, help lower cholesterol levels.
Green
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Asparagus. Help prevent blood clots with asparagus. Its B-complex vitamins are powerful tools to protect against clots and hardening arteries. This well-balanced vegetable is high in niacin, which helps increase HDL cholesterol — the good kind.
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Broccoli. The winner for the most nutrients of any vegetable: broccoli! In fact, broccoli is one of the best foods for you. It has more vitamin C than an orange, as much calcium as a glass of milk, and more fiber than a slice of whole wheat bread. Plus it has cancer-fighting power. Its florets protect cells from free radical damage and help lower blood pressure.
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Spinach. This leafy green was made famous for its ability to make muscles super strong. Spinach’s high amounts of nitrate certainly can improve your strength, but its high content of folate, magnesium and vitamins A and C will help your heart.
Orange
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Acorn squash. Warm up your fall and winter with acorn squash. This fat- and cholesterol-free vegetable is high in vitamins A, B-complex, C and E. Its high fiber, magnesium and potassium content helps lower blood pressure and cholesterol. Brightly colored flesh or skins on fruits and vegetables, like that on the orange-yellow acorn squash, indicate high amounts of beta-carotene (a heart-protective antioxidant).
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Cantaloupe. Acorn squashes and cantaloupes have similar health benefits because they’re both in the gourd family. This juicy melon is a good source of vitamins A, B-complex and C. One cup of cantaloupe provides 50% of men’s and 67% of women’s daily value of vitamin A, an antioxidant that helps build a healthy heart and immune system.
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Carrots. Look beyond better vision, because carrots can help control blood sugar (great for diabetics) and lower cholesterol levels. This crunchy veggie is high in fiber, carotenoids and vitamin A. A survey conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health found that those who ate at least one cup of carrots or squash every day were 60% less likely to have heart problems — and 20-25% less likely of developing lung cancer.
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Oranges. Well-known as good sources of vitamin C, oranges protect your blood vessels and lower your blood pressure and LDL cholesterol levels — the bad kind. Drink or peel your way for powerful carotenoids, flavonoids, potassium, folate and fiber. Antioxidants in oranges (vitamins C and E) help protect your body from free radical damage, a chain reaction of damage over time that can lead to a host of chronic diseases including heart disease.
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Sweet potatoes. Comfort food for most during the holidays, sweet potatoes are extremely healthy — loaded with beta carotene, potassium, fiber and vitamins A, B-6 and C. Though they're typically topped with marshmallows and brown sugar, try preparing them with healthier substitutes like cinnamon, nutmeg or raisins.
Pink
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Salmon. Research shows that eating fish with omega-3 fatty acids may lower your risk for heart disease and death. Salmon tops the list. Rich in omega-3s, salmon may help reduce the risk of arrhythmias (abnormal heartbeats), slow plaque build-up and lower blood pressure.
Red
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Red bell peppers. With many colors to choose from, a red bell pepper is simply a mature green bell pepper. It’s sweeter and milder. One advantage of choosing red: it has eleven times more beta carotene — a heart-protective antioxidant — than a green bell pepper. These spicy fruits — not vegetables — are stuffed with vitamins and nutrients.
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Tomatoes. Another fruit that’s often mistaken for a vegetable: tomatoes. They’re bursting with all four major carotenoids — most notably lycopene, the antioxidant that can help reduce the risks of prostate and pancreatic cancer. It also contains potassium, flavonols, and vitamins C and E.
Brown
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Almonds and walnuts. These nuts provide protein so you can cut down on meat. They may help lower your cholesterol and reduce inflammation in your heart’s arteries. Snack on almonds or walnuts, in moderation, as a healthy alternative to sweets or chips. A bonus: their protein and healthy fat content means you'll stay full longer.
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Flaxseed. This tiny seed packs a nutty flavor and a powerful punch. Flaxseed is linked to helping people fight heart disease, diabetes, breast cancer and strokes. It contains omega-3 fatty acids, lignans and fiber. Studies have found that it can lower cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure, and reduce the risk of blood clots. Sprinkle the seed on your oatmeal, baked goods and cereal.
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Oatmeal. One of the best breakfast choices, oatmeal can warm and fill you up. Research shows that oats and oatmeal are excellent ways to lower your cholesterol, keep you regular and help prevent certain types of cancers. This morning meal can help regulate blood sugar levels throughout the day — a great option for diabetics.
White
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Soy milk. Widely embraced by people with lactose intolerance, soy milk is not just a substitute for cow’s milk. It has soy protein, which helps lower LDL cholesterol and the risk of heart disease. Studies show that it can help lower blood pressure and protect against blood clots and hard arteries.
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