Here’s a really heart-healthy snack—pomegranate juice and dates. It sounds like an odd random snack, but Israeli researchers report that in animal studies the combo reduced oxidative stress in the arterial walls by 33% while decreasing cholesterol by 28%.

In the study, they included antioxidant-rich date pits, which they ground into a paste. But even without the pits, the combination of juice and pitted dates is still super-healthy, according to the researchers. Their suggestion for people who want to protect their hearts—a daily snack of four ounces (one-half cup) of pure unsweetened pomegranate juice and three dates (also with no added sugar).