Committing to a heart-healthy lifestyle starts with what’s on your dinner plate. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide for both men and women. A well-balanced diet rich in nutrient-dense, whole foods helps strengthen your heart, improve circulation, and keep you feeling your best.
Understanding Heart Health
Your heart has a thankless job. It tirelessly pumps blood, nutrients, and oxygen throughout your body. Certain factors put a strain on this critical organ, such as:
- -High blood pressure
- -High cholesterol
- -Inflammation
- -Poor circulation
- -Obesity
Many of these risk factors are preventable with healthy lifestyle choices.
Key Contributors to a Heart-Healthy Diet
Harvard Health states that people who follow the proper diet consistently will lower their risk of heart disease by 31%.
Fruits and Vegetables
A heart-healthy diet starts with plenty of fruits and vegetables, whether fresh, frozen, or canned. Fresh is always the best choice but check the ingredients if you choose frozen or canned. They should be low in sodium and have no added sugar.
Healthy Fats
Fat has a flawed reputation, but it’s not all bad. Healthy fats like omega-3 fatty acids lower bad cholesterol (LDL) levels, increase good cholesterol (HDL), and reduce your risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Healthy fats include:
- -Vegetable or nut oils
- -Olive oil
- -Canola Oil
- -Nuts
- -Seeds
- -Avocados
- -Oily fish, such as salmon
Simply replacing saturated fats, like those in butter, with unsaturated fats like margarine helps lower blood cholesterol levels.
Low-Fat Protein
Along those same lines, you want to avoid fatty cuts of meat and opt for lean choices such as skinless chicken or fish.
A practical approach to a low-fat diet is to:
- -Choose low or nonfat dairy products
- -Eat fatty fish such as salmon or tuna twice a week
- -Substitute plant proteins such as legumes or soy for a couple of meals a week
- -Choose ground meat instead of steaks
- -Avoid fried and breaded foods
Eating plant protein instead of animal, even for a few meals a week, will help keep you on track. More plant protein will also increase your fiber intake.
High Fiber Foods
Fiber is a critical nutrient in preventing heart disease. It lowers the amount of bad cholesterol your body absorbs from food. Studies also show that it helps fight inflammation. Harvard Health suggests a fiber-rich diet may reduce your risk of heart attack or stroke by as much as 30%. Whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds are good sources of fiber.
Control Your Portion Sizes
It’s not just about what you eat; how much you eat also matters. For example, the proper serving size for a piece of meat is about two to three ounces. That’s about the size of a deck of cards. If you eat more than that, you are increasing your caloric intake and reducing the effectiveness of your diet.
An easy trick for managing portion sizes is to:
- -Fill one-half of your plate with healthy vegetables.
- -Fill one-fourth with a lean protein, plant, or animal
- -Fill the final one-fourth with healthy carbohydrates such as whole grains or fruit.
If you eat just a single item, use a small plate or bowl.
What You Should Avoid in a Heart-Healthy Diet
When it comes to heart health, what you don’t eat is as important as what you do. Brown Health states unprocessed foods like sausage, bacon, and hot dogs are among the top things to avoid. They tend to be high in sodium and unhealthy fats.
Fried foods also make the list. Those French fries you get at the drive-through are likely full of saturated and trans fat.
Add sugary foods to that list, as well. That would include soda and breakfast cereals.
For many, baked goods are the most painful thing they must avoid. Cookies, cakes, and pastries contain high amounts of sugar and fat.
Don’t be afraid of the rare treat, though. Eating right isn’t about restrictions—it’s about making mindful daily choices that protect your heart and overall health. By prioritizing whole, nutrient-dense foods, incorporating healthy fats and fiber, and managing portion sizes, you are being proactive about your heart health.
