Fiber, healthy fats & potassium
Best Foods for Heart Health
Fiber-rich, healthy-fat foods that support a heart-friendly diet — the kind found in Mediterranean-style eating.
A heart-healthy diet isn't about one miracle food — it's a pattern. Diets like the Mediterranean and DASH approaches consistently link to better heart health, and they share the same building blocks: plenty of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, legumes, nuts and fish, with less saturated fat, salt and refined sugar.
The foods below are staples of that pattern, ranked here by fiber per 100 g — but their value comes from the whole package of soluble fiber, unsaturated fats, potassium and antioxidants. Swapping these in for processed, salty and sugary foods is what moves the needle.
12 of the best heart-healthy foods
Ranked by the headline nutrient per 100 g of the edible portion. Tap any food for its full nutrition label and a custom serving size.
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Lentils, rawFiber and plant protein, no saturated fat.
30.5 g
109% DV
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Seeds, flaxseedPlant omega-3s and soluble fiber.
27.3 g
98% DV
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Beans, black, mature seeds, rawSoluble fiber that supports healthy cholesterol.
15.5 g
55% DV
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Nuts, almonds, whole, rawHeart-healthy fats, fiber and vitamin E.
10.8 g
38% DV
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OatsBeta-glucan fiber shown to lower cholesterol.
10.6 g
38% DV
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Avocados, raw, all commercial varietiesMonounsaturated fat plus potassium and fiber.
6.7 g
24% DV
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Nuts, walnuts, English, halves, rawAmong the best nut sources of plant omega-3s.
5.2 g
19% DV
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Blueberries, rawAntioxidant-rich berries for everyday eating.
2.4 g
9% DV
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Spinach, rawPotassium, folate and nitrates for blood vessels.
2.2 g
8% DV
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Fish, salmon, chum, rawRich in heart-protective omega-3 fats.
0 g
0% DV
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Oil, olive, salad or cookingThe signature fat of the Mediterranean diet.
0 g
0% DV
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Fish, sardine, Atlantic, canned in oil, drained solids with boneSmall fish, big omega-3 and calcium.
0 g
0% DV
Values are per 100 g, from USDA & FooDB. % DV is the share of an adult's Daily Value. Lists favor recognizable whole foods, not dried or powdered concentrates.
Frequently asked questions
What foods are good for your heart?
Vegetables, fruit, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, olive oil and fatty fish form the core of heart-healthy diets like the Mediterranean and DASH patterns.
What foods should I limit for heart health?
Cut back on foods high in saturated fat, sodium and added sugar — processed meats, fried foods, salty snacks and sugary drinks — and replace them with the whole foods above.
Does fiber help your heart?
Soluble fiber, found in oats, beans and apples, can help lower LDL ("bad") cholesterol, which is one reason high-fiber diets are linked to better heart health.