Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. You can reduce the risk of heart disease and associated problems -- such as heart attacks, arrhythmia and high cholesterol -- by including heart-healthy foods as part of a balanced diet.
Oatmeal
Starting your day off with a bowl of oatmeal is one of the smartest things you can do for your heart. Since the Food and Drug Administration approved labels on oatmeal boxes proclaiming the health benefits of oats in 1997, further research has solidified its reputation as a heart-healthy food. Oatmeal contains soluble fiber that prevents your body from absorbing bad, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol without harming levels of good, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, according to "The Oatmeal Cholesterol Connection: 10 Years Later," an article by Mark B. Andon and James W. Anderson that appeared in the "Journal of Lifestyle Medicine" in 2008.
Although many people shy away from peanuts and peanut butter due to its high calorie content, peanuts reduce the likelihood of developing coronary heart disease, according to Purdue University nutrition professor Richard Mattes, quoted in a 2007 CNN report, "5 Foods That Should Have a Place in Your Diet." They lower cholesterol and triglycerides, which are fat lipids your body stores when it has calories that it doesn't immediately need for energy. Dieters worried about calorie counts should keep in mind that peanuts keep people feeling full, thereby reducing the odds of overeating later.
Berries
Besides being tasty dessert toppings, berries also improve cardiovascular health. In the February 2008 edition of the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," researcher Iris Erlund and her team found that eating berries increases HDL cholesterol, lowers blood pressure and even helps thin the blood.
Beans
Incorporating one-half cup of pinto beans into your daily diet may lower your cholesterol, according to research on pinto bean consumption published in the November 2007 edition of the "Journal of Nutrition." Lower cholesterol means a reduced risk of heart disease. Beans contain soluble fiber that reduces cholesterol. Meanwhile, flavonoids and other chemicals in beans reduce the risk of heart attack.
Salmon
Salmon possesses a key nutrient: omega-3. This fatty acid not only benefits healthy individuals by reducing the risk of heart disease, but can also help those who already have heart disease, according to the American Heart Association. Omega-3 slows the growth of plaque around the arteries, lowers triglyceride levels and reduces the incidence of irregular heartbeats, or arrhythmia.
Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate is more than a luxurious dessert; it also promotes heart health. Flavanols keep blood vessels healthy, while epicatechin increases nitric oxide levels to keep blood pressure low. In January 2006, "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences" published the results of a study by UC Davis, Harvard Medical School and Heinrich-Heine University researchers that tied regular consumption of cocoa drinks in the San Blas islands to reduced heart disease.
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