What you eat can play a powerful role in the health of your heart. Filling your plate with the best foods to lower cholesterol or sipping on the best teas for heart disease can go far toward improving your heart health. Another smart choice to make: Reaching for the number-one snack for heart health when you have the munchies between meals.
Meet the experts: Tracy Paeschke, M.D., a preventive cardiologist at Heart Health Prevention and Wellness; Michelle Routhenstein, M.S., R.D., C.D.C.E.S., a preventive cardiology dietitian at EntirelyNourished.com.
The best snacks (for anyone) contain both protein and fiber to help give you energy and keep you full and satisfied until it’s time to sit down for your next meal. And if you’re eating for heart health, you likely want to choose a specific type of protein-rich food. “For cardiovascular health, plant protein intake is consistently associated with lower cardiovascular and all-cause mortality,” Tracy Paeschke, M.D., a preventive cardiologist at Heart Health Prevention and Wellness, previously told Prevention.
That’s why her top pick for a heart-healthy snack is edamame. “Buy a bag of frozen edamame, steam it in the microwave, and serve! It’s quick, delicious, and healthy,” Dr. Paeschke says. This sneaky protein-packed vegetable contains 11.5 grams (g) of protein per 100-gram serving, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), along with 5 g of filling fiber.
If you’re on the go and don’t have time to steam your edamame, consider picking up some crunchy roasted edamame. And if you don’t like the taste, roasted chickpea snacks are also an excellent pick, says Michelle Routhenstein, M.S., R.D., C.D.C.E.S., a preventive cardiology dietitian at EntirelyNourished.com. “They pack in not just plant-based protein, but also soluble fiber, potassium, magnesium, and antioxidant polyphenols, all of which support healthy cholesterol, blood pressure, and vascular function,” Routhenstein explains. A 1-ounce serving contains 5 g of protein and 5 g of fiber, per the USDA.
While edamame and roasted chickpeas are two of the best high-protein snacks for heart health, there are also plenty of others to choose from. Routhenstein says that having a whole food-based snack high in protein and fiber and low in saturated fat, sodium, and refined sugar is a smart pick for your heart.
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