Beans
Price: $1.48 cents per 15.5-ounce can; 82 cents per pound of dry beans
Beans are another worthy addition to the list of superfoods for your heart. Along with their cousins — dried peas and lentils — they boast a range of health benefits.
Like oats, beans are high in soluble fiber and play a similar role in keeping your cholesterol in order. They’re also high in B vitamins, which aid in cardiovascular health. In addition, beans are a great vegetable-based protein, which means you can use them to reduce your reliance on meat, which contains saturated fat.
How to eat them
Dry beans are the best starting point — they have no added salt or preservatives — but they do require some time and forethought. Canned beans are convenient, which makes it likelier you’ll include them in your meal, but they can have added salt. Draining and rinsing them first will minimize your sodium intake, though.
