- Heart-healthy foods contain fiber, antioxidants, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals.
- Frozen foods retain their nutrients and offer an easy, nutritious option for your meals.
- Make room in your freezer for berries, spinach, salmon and edamame.
You’re never too young to start focusing on heart health. This includes engaging in regular exercise, lowering your stress levels, getting plenty of quality sleep and eating a diet rich in heart-healthy nutrients—like omega-3s, fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.
While you may naturally gravitate toward fresh produce and seafood, believing they’re nutritionally superior to their frozen counterparts, you may be surprised to learn that your freezer can be a true treasure trove when it comes to heart-healthy, nutritious foods. “Freezing preserves vitamins and minerals, and they’re incredibly convenient for busy days when fresh produce may not be available,” says Krutika Nanavati, Ph.D., a nutrition researcher. “They also help reduce food waste and make it easier to maintain a consistent heart-healthy diet year-round.”
By taking good care of your heart, you may lower your risk of heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure. “You’re also safeguarding your [other] organs, improving your energy levels, and reducing the risk of chronic conditions like diabetes and kidney disease,” says Nanavati.
We asked three nutrition and cardiovascular professionals to give us their top picks for heart-healthy frozen foods. While you clean out your freezer to make room for them, we’ll explain what makes them heart-healthy and give you a few delicious ideas for using them.
1. Berries
Raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries—choose your favorite and stock up. “Frozen berries are readily available, always in season, and they are packed with antioxidants that can reduce inflammation and lower your risk for heart disease,” says Leonard Pianko, M.D., a Florida-based cardiologist. “Berries retain their anthocyanins and phenolic compounds (antioxidants) when they are frozen, thereby reducing your risk for hypertension and atherosclerosis—aka hardening of the arteries.”
Research suggests that berries contain several cardioprotective antioxidants, vitamins, and numerous phytochemicals, including the aforementioned phenolic compounds, which have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antiplatelet properties—all important for maintaining healthy blood vessels.
“I love mixing [berries] into yogurt or oatmeal,” says Nanavati. “Very quickly, they soften and deliver an incredible burst of flavor that makes it very easy to get your nutrient-dense, heart-healthy boost first thing in the morning.”
2. Spinach
Popeye was onto something with his spinach. Spinach and other green leafy vegetables are high in nitrates, which have been shown to support heart health by reducing blood pressure, relaxing blood vessel walls and improving blood flow.
Nanavati calls frozen spinach one of her kitchen lifesavers. On days when she’s short on either time or energy, she says it’s helpful to have the greens already washed and chopped and ready to toss into smoothies, dals, soups and omelets.
3. Salmon
Frozen fatty fish, like salmon, is good for your heart because it is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids and low in saturated fat, says Pianko. “Fatty acids cannot be produced by your body, which is why it is essential to eat foods that are high in this nutrient,” says Pianko. “The proper freezing process locks in the nutrients, which can lower your triglycerides, reduce inflammation, improve your heart health, and can be as healthy as fresh fish.”
Omega-3s are well-documented for heart-healthy benefits. For example, one systematic review and meta-analysis of 38 randomized controlled trials testing omega-3 fatty acids in nearly 150,000 participants found that these essential fats were associated with a lower risk of heart attack and other heart-related events, plus a reduced risk of dying from them.
4. Edamame
Edamame are young soybeans that are picked before they’re fully ripened; they’re loaded with fiber, plant protein, potassium and antioxidants. “Frozen edamame is just so undervalued, and I always recommend them,” says Nanavati. “They’re super rich in plant-based protein and fiber; both of these are very good for supporting healthy cholesterol levels. Sometimes I sprinkle a little salt or chili flakes on it, and other times I toss it into salads, grain bowls or stir-fries.”
While research is mixed regarding its specific health benefits, edamame’s heart-healthy benefits are partly attributed to its soluble fiber, known to help lower cholesterol, and potassium, which can help lower blood pressure.
Easy Ways to Add Frozen Foods to Your Diet
Frozen foods are one of the fastest ways to add nutrition, reduce prep time and cut down on waste—if you use them strategically. Here are a few ideas:
- Add frozen vegetables directly to soups, stews, pastas or grain bowls for instant volume and nutrients without chopping.
- Toss frozen berries into smoothies or yogurt bowls, or use them in frozen desserts—like nice creams.
- Use frozen fish for weeknight dinners. Frozen fish thaws quickly, cooks fast and offers a reliable source of lean protein.
- Swap in frozen edamame to boost the fiber, nutrients and protein in your meals, making them more filling and nutritious.
Our Expert Take
Cardiologists and dietitians agree that your freezer is one of the easiest places to improve your heart health. Frozen produce, soy foods, whole grains and fatty fish all retain their nutrients, reduce food waste and make it simpler to build heart-healthy meals on busy days. Adding a few of these staples to your weekly routine may go a long way toward lowering LDL cholesterol, supporting healthy blood pressure and reducing inflammation. It’s a small shift that can add up to long-term cardiovascular benefits.
