Maintaining a good diet is one of the best things you can do for your health. But it can be hard to submit to strict meals all the time. Sometimes you just need to supplement your meals with snacks, whether it’s because you’re running low on energy or don’t have enough time. Below are some heart healthy snacks you can use to supplement your diet. make sure you have a batch of these stored in insulated food jars stacked up on your dining table, work desk and night table so you can reach out when you feel like snacking.
Popcorn
Popcorn is one of the healthiest snacks you can eat. It’s low in calories, low in fat, and has great benefits for heart health. Popcorn contains polyphenols which are antioxidants that can improve your heart health. It has three times the number of polyphenols contained in kidney beans – the largest vegetable source of polyphenols. Popcorn is also a whole grain which helps people stay leaner and generally more heart healthy.
Dark Chocolate
It may surprise you to see chocolate on a list of heart healthy snacks; but there it is. Not all chocolate qualifies however, only dark chocolate is worthy of such an honor. Dark chocolate is filled with flavanols which is a substance that can thin the blood and reduce inflammation. It may even be able to lower your blood pressure.
Yogurt
Yogurt has a kind of indirect effect on your heart health. Yogurt has been connected with protecting against gum disease, and gum disease has been connected with increased heart health. 50 percent of American adults with gum disease are twice as likely to obtain heart problems. Yogurt’s gum protecting properties probably stems from the fact that it is a probiotic and has healthy bacteria that can resist unhealthy bacteria.
Apples
People say, an apple a day keeps the doctor away; this is for good reason. Apples actually can lower your chances of suffering from a heart attack or stroke. This is likely due to the flavonoid content of apples which can prevent the rise of LDL cholesterol.
