WHAT IS A HEART HEALTHY DIET?
The best way to improve your heart health is through a healthy diet and lifestyle. By introducing simple changes into your daily life, you will be able to see and feel the difference! Follow these tips below to get on the right track to improve your cardiovascular health.
WHAT IS A HEART HEALTHY DIET?
A heart healthy diet incorporates a wide variety of fruits and vegetables while minimizing the intake of processed food. Experts say that following a heart healthy diet can help to improve your overall wellness and improve cardiovascular health. 1 in 5 people have cardiovascular concerns and what better way to improve heart health than by introducing healthy lifestyle changes!(1)
WHAT CAN I EAT WHILE FOLLOWING A HEART HEALTHY DIET?
Below are some foods from each food group to build into your heart healthy plate. Remember that you don’t need to make a bunch of changes at once, start off small and work your way up. By starting off small you can introduce new items while still consuming your favorite foods.
Grains
– Whole grain quinoa, rice, and oats
– Whole grain bread, tortillas, and muffins
– Whole grain pastas
Choosing grains that have “whole” in the name mean that it contains the entirety of the grain.This includes the bran, germ, and endosperm, whereas refined grains only have the endosperm.(2) The bran and germ contain the most nutrients, which is why whole grains are preferred.
Protein
– Minimally processed meats
– Lean meat like chicken, turkey, and fish
– Eggs
– Seeds and other nuts
– Beans, lentils, and legumes
To start, limiting processed and red meats to twice a week. On the remaining five days, try to incorporate lean meats. Lean meats have lower fat content which are more beneficial for cardiovascular health.
Fruits and Vegetables
– Any canned, fresh, frozen fruit, and vegetables
– Low salt or no salt canned vegetables
Try rinsing canned vegetables off with water to remove any excess salt. Frozen and canned fruits and vegetables are just as nutrient dense as their fresh counterparts and often a lot cheaper!
Dairy
– Low or fat free milk
– Low or fat free yogurt and cheeses
– Vegan dairy options like plant-based milks, yogurt and cheeses
Fats and Oils
– Healthy unsaturated fats like olive oil, sunflower oil, and canola oil
– Avocados
– Soft margarines made from plant oils.
These are just some of the many foods that you can incorporate into your diet to help guide you towards improving your cardiovascular health. It can be hard to begin a new diet entirely, but incorporating new items into your daily meals can make the transition easier!
OTHER HEART HEALTHY DIETS
There are plenty more flexible diets that can fit into your healthy lifestyle! US News and World Report asked health experts to weigh in on popular diets to identify those that best support heart health. Here are some of their top picks:
The Mediterranean Diet:
– The Mediterranean diet follows food habits from countries that border the Mediterranean Sea. It focuses on minimally processed foods and the importance of whole grains, fish, nuts, and olive oil.
The DASH Diet:
– The DASH diet stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension and focuses on lowering blood pressure concerns by incorporating fruits, vegetables and lean meats/fish, while limiting intake of sodium, added sugar, and saturated fats.
The Vegan Diet:
– Those who choose not to consume dairy meat or animal products follow a Vegan diet. Vegan diets focus on plant-based proteins and nutrient dense grains and legumes which are naturally lower in fat and cholesterol.
The Cardiac Diet:
– The Cardiac diet looks to improve overall cardiovascular health focusing on consuming fruits, vegetables, poultry, whole grains, and minimally processed foods. It also encourages an overall active and healthy lifestyle in addition to the diet.
The Flexitarian Diet:
– Flexitarian stems from the two words Flexible and Vegetarian. This is a semi-vegetarian diet where you focus on including more plant-based options into your daily meals but gives you the option to still consume meat!
IS OMEGA-3 FISH OIL AS FISHY AS IT SOUNDS? NO!
Not all fats are bad for you. Some are even good for you, like Omega-3 which is a polyunsaturated fat. Polyunsaturated and Monounsaturated fats are beneficial in helping to reduce the bad cholesterol found in your blood.(3) Omega-3’s can also to maintain normal, healthy triglyceride levels which directly supports cardiovascular health.
Omega-3’s are considered an essential nutrient – your body is unable to make enough on it’s own, so you must incorporate them into your diet. Consuming foods like salmon, walnuts, sunflower or flax seeds can help to increase your Omega-3 intake. Many of the diets listed above include omega-3s. The American Heart Association recommends consuming at least two servings of fish per week. No time to cook? Don’t like fish? An omega-3 supplement can be a great alternative.
There are many options for you to choose from when creating your heart healthy plate each day. Diet is just one of the ways for you to take charge and be on the road to a healthier cardiovascular system. Incorporating supplements into your daily routine can also be a great way for you to reach your goals.
REFERENCES
1. https://www.heart.org/en/news/2019/01/31/cardiovascular-diseases-affect-nearly-half-of-american-adults-statistics-show
2. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/whole-grains/art-20047826#:~:text=Whole%20grains%20include%20the%20bran,energy%20source%20for%20a%20seed.
3. https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/fats/polyunsaturated-fats
