Claudia Totir / Getty Images
Key Takeaways
- Eggs are a heart-healthy snack because they are high in protein, contain all nine essential amino acids, and can raise HDL (“good”) cholesterol when eaten in moderation.
- Unsalted nuts and berries are great heart-healthy snacks because they provide protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals while avoiding excess sodium and sugar.
- You should choose snacks that are low in cholesterol, sodium, and saturated fats and are high in protein, fiber, and vitamins to support heart health.
We all have moments throughout the day when we crave a little snack to tide us over until our next meal. But if you’re concerned about your cardiovascular health, it’s important to make sure you reach for the right thing to satisfy your hunger without harming your heart.
We asked Srihari S. Naidu, MD, a cardiologist and professor of medicine at New York Medical College, what snack he reaches for regularly to stave off hunger while prioritizing his heart health.
*This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length.
Question: What heart-healthy snack do you eat regularly?
Naidu: I’m a big fan of eggs. Eggs are great because they’re high in protein, they have all nine essential amino acids, and they tend to raise HDL (or “good”) cholesterol. If you have them in moderation, they don’t raise overall cholesterol, which is good. They’re also compact, cheap, and when you eat them, you’re not hungry for several hours afterward. They also have vitamins A, D, E, K, B12, and folate.
I typically have eggs three or four times a week. I often take hard-boiled eggs, chop them up, and add spices like cumin or red chili powder.
Q: What are some other examples of heart-healthy snacks?
Naidu: I often have unsalted nuts as a snack. Salt is fine if you don’t have heart failure or hypertension, but many people don’t know whether they have those conditions, so it’s best to avoid sodium. Nuts are a good source of protein and fiber. They do have a lot of calories, though, so you only want to have a handful.
Berries are good, too. Berries have more vitamins and minerals than many other fruits, and they also have a lower glycemic index. Blueberries are probably the best berry of all, and they’re also very anti-inflammatory. Both nuts and berries are great if I want something to tide me over. I think most people will find that nuts and berries satisfy their sweet tooth and curb their cravings for a little while.
Q: What should I look for in a heart-healthy snack?
Naidu: You want to snack on foods that have low cholesterol, low sodium, and low saturated fats, and foods that have high protein, high fiber, and high amounts of vitamins and minerals. You also want to avoid processed carbohydrates and sugar. And reach for things that don’t have a ton of calories but still bring on satiety, meaning you feel full after eating them and you can keep going for several hours until your next meal.
I must say that snacking in general is probably not the best thing to do, but we all have lulls during the day when we may feel that we need more sustenance. You have to distinguish between eating just because you’re bored and eating because you really need the calories.
You also want to make sure that your total calories keep you within a range that allows you to maintain your ideal body weight. Maintaining your overall weight at a healthy range is probably the number one thing that you can do for your heart, and so much of that has to do with the total calories you consume.
If you are going to have a snack, make sure it stays within your daily calorie range. That’s not to say that we should go back to strict calorie counting like we did in previous decades. Instead, it’s good to have a general range for your total daily calories and try not to go more than a couple of hundred calories above or below that range.