Shopping List: Heart-Healthy Foods
Use this heart-healthy food list to make shopping a breeze. The list is based on the principles of the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), a proven hypertension-controlling approach to creating heart healthy menus that emphasize fruits, veggies, and whole grains, but also include nuts, seeds, healthy fats, low-fat dairy, and lean protein sources.
To make sure you always have heart-healthy foods on hand, print our shopping list below and keep it in your car or wallet for easy access.
Emphasize foods from this column:
Whole Grains
Opt for products that are 100% whole wheat or whole grain, contain at least 3 grams of fiber per serving, and are "low sodium."whole-wheat, rye, or multigrain bread and crackers
unprocessed or lightly processed oatmeal, such as steel-cut oats
brown rice
whole-wheat pasta
air-popped popcorn
whole-grain breakfast cereal
Vegetables
Choose fresh or frozen when you can; opt for canned only if it's "low sodium."|
asparagus broccoli carrots green beans kale onions |
artichokes brussels sprouts cauliflower peas leeks potatoes |
bell peppers cabbage collards pumpkin mushrooms spinach |
sprouts squash |
Fruit
Choose fresh or frozen when you can; make dried or canned your second choice.|
strawberries apples dates mangoes peaches persimmons blueberries nectarines kiwifruit |
pears figs grapes melons pineapples raisins cranberries citrus plums |
bananas cherries oranges tangerines prunes raspberries blackberries tomatoes apricots |
Supplement meals with these items:
Fat-Free or Low-Fat Dairy
skim or low-fat (1%) milklow-fat, low-sodium, natural cheeses, such as mozzarella or cheddar
nonfat or low-fat yogurt or frozen yogurt
Lean Meats, Poultry, or Fish
low-mercury fish, such as salmon, herring, sardines, trout, and pollackskinless cuts of white-meat chicken or turkey
lean, trimmed, unprocessed cuts of red meat (use sparingly)
eggs (limit yourself to four per week)
Nuts, Seeds, and Legumes
unsalted peanuts, walnuts, almonds, hazelnutsnut butters (peanut butter, almond butter)
sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, flaxseed
lentils
garbanzos
black beans
Fats and Oils
vegetable oils, such as olive, canola, or safflower oiltrans-fat-free margarine
fat-free cooking sprays
Use these flavors to add interest:
Seasonings
fresh herbs, such as rosemary, basil, mint, dill, and chivessalt-free spices, such as lemon pepper, dried onion, and garlic powder
malt, cider, or red wine vinegar
lemon, lime, or orange juice or zest






