It may not be your first thought when you wake up in the morning, but taking care of your heart is one of the best things you can do for your overall health.

As one of the five vital organs of the body, the heart ensures blood flow around the body, providing oxygen, nutrients and hormones and transporting waste products of metabolism. However, when heart health is compromised, this blood flow is also affected and has a negative effect on other areas of the body.

Of all the factors that contribute to heart health, two of the most important are blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Having high levels of either can be bad news for the heart, as it can affect the function of blood vessels and arteries.

High blood pressure, for example, can damage your arteries and blood vessels by making them less elastic, reducing blood flow. While high cholesterol levels can lead to fatty deposits building up on artery walls, leading to narrowing and possible blockages.

While both blood pressure and cholesterol can be affected by a number of factors, including genetics, age and gender, both can also be shaped by diet. This means that the foods you eat can have an impact on your overall heart health.

This is good news. However, even if you don’t follow a heart-healthy diet, making a few simple changes to the range of foods you eat could make a real difference to your blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Keep reading to see five foods you should prioritize if you want to get started.

  • Watermelon

You might think of watermelon as a refreshing, summertime snack, but eating watermelon regularly could also give your heart health a boost.

According to a new study published in the journal Nutrients, eating watermelon or drinking watermelon juice can protect vascular function because the amino acids present in watermelon (L-citrulline and L-arginine) fight reduced nitric oxide.

Because a reduction in nitric oxide can lead to developments such as reduced heart rate variability (the variation in the time between each heartbeat, associated with good health), vascular function, and microvascular blood flow, neutralizing this reduction by eating watermelon could protect heart health in the long term. In short, it seems to act as a kind of shield.

While more research is needed on this link, it’s something to consider the next time you reach for a crisp and cool piece of watermelon.

  • Kale

Leafy greens are known for offering a whole host of health benefits, so you probably won’t be surprised to see one of them appear on this list.

Kale, in particular, is good for your heart because of the abundance of heart-friendly nutrients it contains, such as potassium, fiber, folate and calcium.

Dark leafy greens, such as kale and spinach, have also been shown in studies to lower LDL (aka “bad” cholesterol) levels and prevent it from binding to artery walls.

This is because certain substances found in this vegetable can bind the bile acids produced by cholesterol in the digestive system and prevent their reabsorption.

  • Oats

Oats may not be the most exciting food, but they offer many heart-healthy benefits.

In fact, there is a lot of evidence linking whole oats and oat bran to lower cholesterol levels. This is due to the presence of beta-glucan – a soluble fiber most commonly found in oats – which lowers total and bad cholesterol levels.

But that is not all. Beta-glucan is also rich in antioxidants, which can protect you from harmful chronic conditions like heart disease by reducing inflammation.

  • Avocado

If you’re a fan of avocado toast, we have some good news for you. In addition to being delicious, avocados have been linked to good heart health.

Although avocados are high in fat, 60% of that fat is monounsaturated fat. A class of “good fats” that help protect your heart by maintaining levels of “good” HDL cholesterol and lowering levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol.

Many of the nutrients found in avocados, such as potassium, folate and fiber, also benefit the cardiovascular system.

In fact, according to research published in the Journal Of The American Heart Association, eating two servings of avocado each week (one whole avocado) has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease by 21%.

  • Black chocolate

It’s no secret that dark chocolate can offer many health benefits, but one of its most impressive abilities has to be its contribution to good heart health.

This is because dark chocolate is high in flavonoids which are also found in tea, leafy vegetables and citrus fruits. Flavonoids act as antioxidants and have strong anti-inflammatory effects. In particular, it is high in a subtype of flavonoids called flavonols.

Both flavanols and theobromine, another natural compound found in cocoa, have previously been linked to improved blood vessel function, lower blood pressure and a lower risk of heart disease in people with and without pre-existing conditions.

The polyphenols in dark chocolate, one of which is flavanols, can also increase “good” cholesterol while lowering “bad” cholesterol levels, improving overall levels.