Can These 4 Snacks Prevent Heart Attacks?

The leading cause of death worldwide happens to be heart disease.

It can affect men, women, and even children, which makes it a growing concern for healthcare professionals.

Granted, you are unable to change your family history (higher risk), but there are certain things that you can change that will decrease, or even prevent, your risk for developing heart disease.

A heart-healthy diet that includes fruits, vegetables, and essential fats, plus a well-structured exercise program may be keys to heart disease prevention.

When speaking of diet, however, there is a lot of confusion on what the best foods to eat are in order to prevent heart disease.

There are many heart-healthy food choices you can make, however, including these four heart-healthy snacks may reduce your risk for a major cardiac event.

The Top Four Heart-Healthy Snacks

There are many snacks that you can eat for improving your overall health.

However, these four snacks may be THE BEST for improving heart health, as well as overall health.

Be sure to pay attention to snack number three, it is a sweet treat for you to enjoy!

The Top Four Heart-Healthy Foods

1. Apples

Next to cranberries, apples are the second most consumed snack food in the world.

It could be due to the tremendous fiber content (especially with the skin), the supply of vitamins and minerals, or the high levels of pectin that make them so good for us.

Whatever the reason, apples should be included in any heart-healthy diet.

Pectin (plentiful in apples) has been shown to reduce LDL (your “bad”) cholesterol while the fiber may keep you full for longer periods of time – which could prevent you from overeating at other meals.

Apples have been shown in research to combat oxidative stress, possess anti-inflammatory properties, and prevent oxidative stress, which could spell good news for your heart and your vascular health in general.

Enjoy an apple a day to keep both the doctor and heart disease away!

2. Dark Chocolate

If you are a self-diagnosed chocolate addict, then you may be surprised to find out that you may be protecting your heart in the process.

Dark chocolate has been shown, in many clinical studies, to lower blood pressure and prevent clogs in your arteries.

Dark chocolate contains high levels of flavonols, which may prevent the clogging of your arteries and could lower your blood pressure in the process.

However, you do need to understand that too much of anything could be bad for you.

Enjoy your dark chocolate snack in moderation to promote better heart health without adding pounds to your waistline.

3. Figs

If you have ever tried a fig, then you know first-hand how tasty these little treats are.

However, like many of the other foods on this list, they pack a powerful punch in reducing your heart disease risk due to the high levels of potassium.

It has been shown that high-sodium diets may be one risk factor for increased blood pressure.

However, potassium, which may combat high sodium intake, has been shown to lower blood pressure, therefore lowering your risk for both heart disease and strokes.

4. Blueberries

These small, dense, brightly colored berries are a perfect snack for improving heart health.

Blueberries are chock full of antioxidants, like manganese and vitamins C and E, which have been shown to lower oxidative damage caused by free radicals.

Plus, a one- to two-cup serving has been shown to reduce cholesterol, triglycerides, and may increase your HDL cholesterol.

Blueberries should be enjoyed daily and may prevent plaque formation in your arteries, therefore reducing your heart disease risk.

Include These Four Snacks Today

The best recipe for preventing heart disease is to adopt a heart-healthy diet and a well-structured exercise program.

However, there are things that you cannot control – like your genes or family history.

Including these four snacks into your nutrition plan, along with essential fats and plenty of fiber, will provide you with good, hearty snacks and may lower your heart disease risk.


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