22 Easy Heart-Healthy Snacks You'll Want to Make Forever (2025)

FAQs

What are heart-healthy sweet snacks? ›

Canned fruit (packed in its own juice, water or light syrup). Baked or raw apples sprinkled with cinnamon. Raisins, dates, figs and other unsweetened dried fruits. Frozen banana.

Nuts and Seeds

Some nuts, like walnuts, are a great source of plant-based omega-3 fatty acids. 12 Enjoy a handful of walnuts with a piece of fruit or some blueberries. Seeds to add to a heart-healthy snack include flaxseed, hemp, chia, or sesame. You can add seeds to Greek yogurt or a healthy smoothie.

The plan should include plenty of lean protein, vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Limit high-fat foods such as red meat, cheese and baked goods. Also limit foods that are high in sodium such as sandwiches, pizza, soup and processed foods. Cut back on foods and drinks with added sugar too.

“Nuts, like walnuts or almonds, offer unsaturated fats, and dark chocolate contains polyphenols, such as flavanols and catechins,” Sabgir explains. “Consumption of both good unsaturated fats and polyphenols have been associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.”

According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute , the following foods are the best for your heart: Vegetables: such as leafy greens, broccoli, and carrots. Fruits: such as apples, bananas, and oranges. Whole grains: such as plain oatmeal, brown rice, and whole-grain bread or tortillas.

There are healthy ways to satisfy your cravings—sweet, salty, or otherwise—and provide yourself with nutrients. Options like fruit, yogurt, eggs, and whole grains can help satisfy your desire for certain foods.

You should aim to follow a Mediterranean-style diet. This means eating more wholegrain bread, rice and pasta, and fruit, vegetables and fish, and less meat. Replace butter and cheese with products based on vegetable and plant oil, such as olive oil.

Using lower-fat cheeses – such as mozzarella, feta, cottage cheese or reduced-fat cheeses – will provide less saturated fat.

1. Apple or Pear with Nuts or Nut Butter. This powerful combo is a popular go-to snack for several dietitians we interviewed—and for good reason.

Heart-Healthy Snacks:

Among the options given, the most heart-healthy snack is a tablespoon of walnuts. Walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which can help reduce inflammation and improve heart health. They also contain antioxidants that support the health of blood vessels.