By Shola Ogundipe

Gramme for gramme, real ‘whole’ food costs a lot less than packaged food. You get a much bigger bang for your buck, and it tastes better, too. Eat a balanced diet full of a variety of fresh foods, like these  superstars listed below, and you’ll have plenty of reasons to smile.

Fresh herbs

Fresh herbs can help make other foods heart-healthy when they replace salt, sugar, and trans fats. These flavour powerhouses, along with nuts, berries — even coffee — can be part of heart-wise eating. Herbs such as rosemary, sage, oregano, and thyme contain antioxidants.

Black beans

Mild, tender black beans are packed with nutrients including folate, antioxidants, magnesium, and with fibre — which helps control both cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Canned black beans are easy to add to soups and salads.

Red wine

If you drink alcohol, a little red wine may be a good choice. Resveratrol and catechins, two antioxidants in red wine, may help protect artery walls. Alcohol can also boost HDL, the “good” cholesterol. Only drink in moderation: up to one glass a day for women, and 1-2 for men. Alcohol may cause problems for people taking aspirin and other medications. Too much alcohol is bad for your heart.

Salmon

A top food for heart health, it’s rich in the omega-3s EPA and DHA. Omega-3s may lower risk of heart rhythm disorders and reduce blood pressure. Salmon also lowers blood triglycerides and helps curb inflammation. Two servings of salmon or other naturally oily fish a week is recommended.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

This oil, made from the first press of olives, is especially rich in antioxidants called polyphenols, which may help protect your blood vessels.. It’s also a good source of monounsaturated fats, which are a better choice than saturated fats (like butter) for your cholesterol. Use a little bit for salads, on cooked veggies, or with bread. Look for cold-pressed and use within six months.

Walnuts

A small handful of walnuts a day may lower your cholesterol and ease inflammation in your heart’s arteries. Walnuts are packed with omega-3s, monounsaturated fats, and fiber. The benefits come when walnuts replace bad fats, like those in chips and cookies. Walnut oil has omega-3s, too; try it in salad dressings.

Almonds

Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin E, magnesium, and zinc all help to make a handful (about 1/4 cup a day) of crunchy almonds good for your heart and your mood. B vitamins and magnesium help produce serotonin, which helps regulate mood.

Zinc has also been shown to fight some negative effects of stress, while vitamin E is an antioxidant that destroys the free radicals related to stress and heart disease. They’re the perfect snack — so much better than a bag of chips. Slivered almonds go well with vegetables, fish, chicken, and desserts.

They’re chock full of plant sterols, fibre, and heart-healthy fats. Almonds may help lower LDL cholesterol, if you favour them over other fats. Grab a small handful a day.

Sweet potatoes

Talk about a nutritional powerhouse! The more color a veggie has the better it is for you, according to nutritionists — and sweet potatoes might be the brightest of all. Potent antioxidants found in sweet potatoes help to shield our hearts. Plus, their sweet taste makes them delicious enough to eat for dessert.

But if you don’t want to go that far, try chunking them up into squares, roasting them at a high heat (400 degrees) for about 30 minutes, and then tossing them with some chopped dried plums (better known as prunes) for a tempting and unique side dish next to roasted chicken or turkey — or as a vegetarian meal on its own. Swap white potatoes for sweet potatoes.

With a low glycemic index, they won’t cause a quick spike in blood sugar. They also have fibre, vitamin A, and lycopene.

Oranges

This sweet, juicy fruit contains the cholesterol-fighting fibre pectin — as well as potassium, which helps control blood pressure. Medical research shows that orange juice may improve blood vessel function and modestly lower blood pressure.  A medium orange averages 62 calories, with three grams of fibre.

Carrots

These sweet, crunchy veggies may help control blood sugar levels and make diabetes less likely. They may also help your cholesterol levels, since they’re a source of soluble fiber — the kind of fibre also found in oats. Add shredded carrots to spaghetti sauce and muffin batter.

Oatmeal

Oats in all forms can help your heart by lowering LDL, the bad cholesterol. A warm bowl of oatmeal fills you up for hours, fights snack attacks, and helps keep blood sugar levels stable over time —making it useful for people with diabetes, too.

Coffee

Coffee and tea may help protect your heart. Studies show that people who drink 3-4 cups a day may be less likely to get diabetes, and even decaffeinated coffee works. But if you already have high blood pressure, be careful, since caffeine can worsen it.

Choose black coffee or a non-fat latte to limit fat and calories.

Cherries

Cherries are packed with anthocyanin, believed to help protect blood vessels. Cherries in any form have that antioxidant: fresh sweet cherries, the sour cherries used for baking, as well as dried cherries and cherry juice. Sprinkle dried cherries into cereal, muffin batter, green salads and wild rice.

Blueberries

Blueberries are simply brilliant when it comes to nutrition. Their anthocyanins give them their deep blue color and support heart health. Blueberries also have beta-carotene, lutein, vitamin C, foliate, magnesium, potassium, and fibre.

Almost all fruit is good for you — cherries, strawberries, mangoes, peaches — yum! But these blue-hued beauties work overtime to provide you with antioxidants and vitamin C, both potent stress busters.

They’re low in calories and sugar, so you can snack on them to your heart’s content without an ounce of guilt (or fat). Blueberries are also a good source of fibre, which can help relieve the cramps and constipation that can occur when you’re stressed out.