4 surprising heart-healthy foods

Knowing which foods are and aren't good for your heart isn't always clear. Discover four foods you'll be surprised to know promote heart health.

Nearly everything we eat affects our health, but there are several foods that fly under the radar when it comes to helping our heart. While many people know that regular exercise, avoiding fatty food and eating vegetables can help improve overall health, they may not recognize these little-known foods as contributors to cardiovascular well-being. Read on to find out more about some unexpected foods that help your heart.

Blueberries aren't just delicious and sweet, they can also help strengthen your heart. The purple-hued berries are stocked with flavonoids called anthocyanin, which are known to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

In one study, experts found that people who consumed high amounts of anthocyanin, mostly from blueberries and strawberries, saw an eight per cent decrease in their risk of hypertension.

Potatoes might have a bad rap because they're often served fried or doused in cheese or butter, but in reality, potatoes on their own are excellent for heart health. Potatoes have a high level of potassium, which offsets the negative effects of sodium.

How is this a good thing? Excessive levels of sodium can contribute to high blood pressure and other heart issues. Try eating potatoes baked or roasted in olive oil for a healthy option.

Dark chocolate isn't just a delicious dessert — it's also a good heart health food. The sweet treat contains high levels of cocoa, which has heart-healthy properties. Cocoa helps reduce the effects of carcinogenic cells called free radicals, and it also improves blood pressure and blood flow.

Make sure you choose a dark chocolate that is more than 70 per cent cocoa, though—otherwise, you're not getting enough of the good stuff. Also, make sure the chocolate doesn't contain hydrogenated oils, or you might be doing more harm than good.

It might seem counterintuitive, but lean red meat is a great food to improve heart health since it's loaded with nutrients. Lean cuts of steak like sirloin, contain vvitamin B12, zinc, iron and more.

When you cook steak, be sure you grill it and go easy on the salt—cooking it in fatty oils or sprinkling it liberally with salt can counteract its benefits by increasing the risk of high blood pressure.

Remember these four heart-healthy foods next time you're at the grocery store.