While some dietitians extol the virtues of red wine, dark chocolate, and salmon for heart health, Dr. Katie Eliot, assistant professor of nutrition and dietetics at Saint Louis University, has a different plan.

Keep it simple. Look to heart-shaped foods to protect your heart.

“Being red and heart shaped can be a tip off that some foods are good for your heart,” Dr. Eliot said. “Many heart-shaped fruits and vegetables are great sources of antioxidants. These compounds act like shields, taking the hit from free radicals that otherwise damage the body and cause heart disease and cancer.”

For instance, strawberries and raspberries are loaded with vitamin C and an antioxidant that prevents plaque from forming in arteries. Cherries contain an antioxidant that is thought to protect the blood vessels and is high in potassium, which helps lower blood pressure.

Tomatoes and red peppers are rich in the antioxidant lycopene, which is in many red fruits and vegetables and works magic by neutralizing free radicals. And acorn squash and apples contain a type of fiber, which reduces bad cholesterol that can clog up your arteries to cause heart attacks and stroke.