TL:DR: Small choices matter for heart health. Foods rich in polyphenols may support blood vessel health and healthy cholesterol levels. Pair supportive nutrition with movement, stress recovery, and rest for lasting heart health benefits.
Heart Month is a great time to focus on small, realistic habits that support heart health.
And one of the easiest places to start is right on your plate.
Recent research is shining a light on polyphenols, plant compounds found in common foods and drinks that support long-term heart health. They might sound technical, but they show up in foods you already know and love.
Polyphenols act as natural antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. They help protect blood vessels, support healthy circulation, and reduce strain on the cardiovascular system as we age. In a decade-long study, people who regularly consumed more polyphenol-rich foods had lower predicted heart disease risk and higher levels of HDL “good” cholesterol.
In other words, these everyday foods are doing some quiet, behind-the-scenes work for your heart.
The best part? You don’t need a specialty grocery run. Many of these foods are already in your kitchen or easy to add to your routine.
February’s Heart Month is a good moment to pause and give a little extra attention to the organ that keeps everything else running. Heart disease remains one of the leading causes of illness in the U.S., and its impact doesn’t stop at the doctor’s office. It shows up at work, too, through absenteeism, lower energy, and rising long-term health costs.
So what actually makes the biggest difference for heart health over time? A large global study points to two habits that rise to the top: smoking and high blood pressure. They’re the biggest drivers of heart disease risk.
Add in high cholesterol, diabetes, and unhealthy weight (on either end of the scale), and these few factors make up about half of heart disease risk worldwide.
Many of these behaviors are shaped by our environment. Small food swaps, supportive workplace choices, and simple awareness can go a long way.
Polyphenol-rich foods can play an important role in heart health. These five options are easy to enjoy at work or at home and come with a simple, realistic way to add them to your day.
Cocoa stood out for its high levels of flavanols, a type of polyphenol known to support blood vessel health. These compounds help blood vessels relax and widen, which can improve circulation and support healthy blood pressure over time.
Easy Win: Choose dark chocolate with a higher cocoa percentage and enjoy a small square.
Coffee is one of the biggest sources of polyphenols in many people’s diets, and the study highlighted its potential heart benefits. The antioxidants in coffee may help reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, both of which are linked to heart disease.
Easy Win: Enjoy your daily cup and keep add-ins simple by cutting back on sugary syrups and heavy creamers.
Walnuts earned their place thanks to a powerful mix of polyphenols, omega-3 fatty acids, and other heart-supporting nutrients. Research shows they can help lower LDL cholesterol and reduce inflammation in the arteries.
Easy win: Keep a small handful of walnuts on hand for an easy snack or salad topper.
Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and other berries are packed with anthocyanins, the polyphenols that give them their deep colors. These compounds help improve blood vessel function and reduce oxidative stress. Some studies even show blueberries can support brain health, too.
Easy win: Add berries to yogurt, oatmeal, or smoothies. Fresh or frozen both count.
Extra virgin olive oil, a staple of the Mediterranean diet, contains unique polyphenols that help protect the lining of blood vessels and reduce inflammation. The study found that using olive oil in place of other fats may lower overall cardiovascular risk.
Easy Win: Use olive oil for cooking, roasting, or salad dressings whenever possible.
Food plays an important role in heart health, but it’s only one piece of a much bigger picture. How we move throughout the day, how we manage stress, and how well we rest all influence cardiovascular health over time.
Regular movement helps support circulation, blood pressure, and overall heart function. That doesn’t mean intense workouts are required. Short walks, standing breaks, light stretching, or simply changing positions during the day can all contribute to heart health when done consistently.
Stress management is another key factor. Chronic stress can place ongoing strain on the heart and blood vessels, especially when recovery is limited. Small moments of pause, deep breathing, stepping away from screens, or creating space between meetings can help calm the nervous system and support heart health in subtle but meaningful ways.
Sleep often gets overlooked, yet it plays a powerful role in cardiovascular health. Consistent, quality sleep supports blood sugar balance, inflammation control, and heart rhythm. When sleep is disrupted or deprioritized, even the best nutrition habits can feel harder to maintain.
What ties all of these habits together is the environment we’re in each day. Work schedules, meeting culture, break expectations, and flexibility all influence whether heart-healthy choices feel doable or out of reach. Supportive environments make it easier for healthy behaviors to become routine rather than another item on a to-do list.
While cocoa, coffee, walnuts, berries, and olive oil are standouts in the recent study, polyphenols are all around you in plant foods like tea, whole grains, herbs, apples, citrus fruits, beans, and leafy greens too.
Heart Month is a reminder that caring for your heart isn’t about perfect routines or rigid rules. It’s about creating a mix of small, supportive habits that work together. When food, movement, stress management, and rest align, heart health becomes something you support naturally, day by day.