What to Eat on the Healthy Heart Diet: A Beginner’s Guide

A healthy heart diet can improve your cardiovascular health and keep you active. Diet and lifestyle can influence blood pressure, triglycerides, cholesterol level, and inflammation, all of which are risk factors for heart disease. Foods that cause inflammation must be completely avoided to reduce risk of heart attacks.

Sodium is another factor that needs to be considered while choosing the right foods. Unhealthy foods containing sugar, refined carbs, and seed oils are extremely dangerous for heart health and need to be limited.

Heart health can be monitored through various clinical and biochemical tests as well as measuring blood pressure and heart rate using electronic devices. A healthy heart diet aims to manage these parameters.

Healthy Heart Diet Plan: Foods to Include

Whole foods should be included in a healthy heart diet (Image via Unsplash/Louis Hansel)

Freshly sourced plant-based and animal foods contain naturally occurring vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Look to include the following foods:

Vegetables: tomatoes, broccoli, cucumbers, potatoes, sweet potatoes, kale, spinach, onions, cauliflower, carrots, Brussels sprouts, and turnips. These are low-sodium vegetables and contain antioxidants good for the heart.
Fruits: apples, bananas, oranges, grapes, dates, figs, melons, pears, strawberries, and peaches. Berries and fruits contain naturally occurring antioxidant compounds that prevent heart disease.
Nuts and seeds: almonds, hazelnuts, cashews, walnuts, peanuts, macadamia nuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and watermelon seeds are fiber-rich foods that improve overall health.
Nut Butter: almond butter, cashew butter, and peanut butter can replace unhealthy sugary spreads
Legumes: pulses, peanuts, chickpeas, beans, peas, and lentils contain several minerals
Whole grains: oats, brown rice, whole wheat bread, rye, barley, corn, buckwheat, and whole wheat pasta are better than refined and polished grains
Fish and seafood: tuna, mackerel, shrimp, salmon, sardines, trout, oysters, clams, crab, and mussels
Poultry: freshly sourced chicken, duck, and turkey meat are good for health
Eggs: chicken, quail, and duck eggs contain healthy fats and good cholesterol
Dairy: cheese, yogurt, and milk contain fat-soluble vitamins and good fats
Herbs and spices: garlic, sage, nutmeg, cinnamon, basil, mint, rosemary, and pepper can boost your metabolism
Healthy fats: extra virgin olive oil, olives, avocados, and avocado oil protect the heart from inflammation.

Healthy fats like butter and olive oil can be used to prepare foods for a healthy heart diet.

Healthy Heart Diet Plan: Foods to Avoid

Fatty fish are good for heart health (Image via Unsplash/Towfiqu Barbhuiya)

The following inflammatory foods increase risk of heart attacks. Look to avoid these foods completely or limit their intake:

Added sugar: Any food item that contains added sugar, including sodas and other beverages, and foods containing high-fructose corn syrup must be avoided.
Refined grains: white bread, pasta, crackers, and baked goods
Trans fats: Margarine, fried foods, and other highly processed foods are detrimental to heart health.
Seed oils: soybean oil, canola oil, cottonseed oil, sunflower oil, and rice bran oil
Processed meat: processed sausages, hot dogs, and salami must be avoided.
Highly processed foods: fast food, packaged meals, and deep-fried snacks

These foods contain high amounts of sodium and inflammatory molecules and must be avoided on a healthy heart diet. However, you can include cheat meals once a week to satisfy your cravings.

How to Plan the Best Cardiac Diet Menu?

Here's a sample of a healthy heart diet:

Breakfast

Greek yogurt, unsweetened
Berries, including strawberries and blueberries
Walnuts and almonds

Lunch

Lentils and vegetables
Shrimps, salmon, and chickpeas
Chicken soup with mushrooms

Snacks

Fruits and berries
Chia seeds and almonds pudding
Scrambled eggs in olive oil

Dinner

Tuna salad with zucchini
Chickpea hummus bell peppers
Salad with fresh vegetables, cheese, and mushrooms

There's no need to calculate your calorie intake, as a healthy heart diet emphasizes healthy eating instead of calories.

Benefits of Healthy Heart Diet

Berries are good for the heart. (Image via Unsplash/Jasper Benning)

This diet provides polyphenols and other naturally occurring antioxidant compounds. These antioxidants protect the heart against free radicals, which are responsible for heart disease and other chronic inflammatory conditions. Such a diet can reduce risk of heart attacks and also protect the liver.

It's not just heart health, dietary fiber can also improve insulin sensitivity, reduce blood glucose level, and improve levels of HbA1C (glycated hemoglobin), a biomarker of type 2 diabetes.

A healthy heart diet can also include dietary supplements like omega-3 fish oil, multivitamins, and curcumin. These supplements can improve overall health and well-being. If you have any medical conditions, though, consult a clinical nutritionist before embarking on a new diet.

Edited by Bhargav