6 Best Diets For Heart Health

The main cause of death in the world is heart disease.

Diet is one of the best methods to protect your heart, in addition to lifestyle variables like regular exercise and not smoking. That's because what you eat has an impact on inflammation, blood pressure, cholesterol, and other heart disease risk factors.

Diets high in fiber, good fats, and antioxidants, in particular, have been found to promote heart health, but excessive intakes of added sugar and processed meats have been linked to an increased risk of heart disease.

While many diets promise to improve heart health, it's crucial to pick one that's validated by science and easy to stick to over time.

Here are the top six heart-healthy diets.

1. The Mediterranean diet

The Mediterranean diet is based on the customary eating habits of Greeks and Southern Italians in the 1960s. (ref. here)

Whole grains, nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, legumes, fish, and extra virgin olive oil are among the foods that are emphasized in the diet. Moderate amounts of poultry, eggs, low-fat dairy, and red wine are also included.

Added sugars, refined carbohydrates, highly processed foods, and red and processed meats are also restricted or eliminated.

Numerous studies link the Mediterranean diet to lower heart disease risk, as well as heart disease risk factors such as high cholesterol and triglyceride levels, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure.

Following a Mediterranean eating pattern lowered overall risk of heart disease incidence and mortality by 40%, according to a study of 11 research.

The emphasis on natural, minimally processed plant foods and healthy fats is thought to be substantially responsible for the diet's heart advantages.

Extra virgin olive oil, for example, is high in monounsaturated fats and chemicals with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant qualities.

A study of 32 research found that eating more of this oil — but not other monounsaturated fats — was linked to a lower risk of death from any cause, heart disease, or stroke.

Other factors, such as physical activity and consuming fewer added sugars, may also contribute to the diet's positive effects.

2. The DASH Diet

Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH, is a program that was created to assist people prevent and treat hypertension, or high blood pressure. As a result, your risk of heart disease is reduced.

The DASH diet, like the Mediterranean diet, does not have a rigorous dietary list.

Instead, it suggests exact amounts of food groups depending on your calorie needs, with a concentration on whole grains, fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, and lean meats, with red meat, refined grains, and added sugars limited.

Furthermore, it recommended that you consume no more than 1 teaspoon (2,300 mg) of sodium per day, with a lower salt version recommending no more than 3/4 teaspoon (1,500 mg) per day.

Reduced sodium intake has been demonstrated to lower blood pressure in people with high blood pressure, especially when paired with the DASH diet.

This effect, however, appears to be less substantial in persons with normal blood pressure levels, according to study.

The diet's focus on high-fiber foods like whole grains and vegetables, as well as the avoidance of added sweets and saturated fats, may further contribute to its heart-health benefits.

Indeed, evidence suggests that the DASH diet lowers blood pressure, obesity, waist circumference, cholesterol levels, and insulin resistance, all of which are risk factors for heart disease.

The DASH diet was connected to a 20% lower risk of heart disease, a 19% lower risk of stroke, and an 18% lower risk of type 2 diabetes in a meta-analysis of seven studies.

3. Vegan or Vegetarian Diets

Vegan and vegetarian diets exclude all meat, including chicken, red meat, and fish, from the diet.

Vegans avoid all animal-derived foods, including dairy, eggs, bee pollen, honey, and gelatin. While some vegetarians incorporate alternative sources of animal products, such as eggs and cheese, vegans strictly avoid all animal-derived components, including dairy, eggs, bee pollen, honey, and gelatin.

Fruits, vegetables, beans, lentils, soy products, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and plant-based oils and lipids are prioritized in these diets.

Vegan and vegetarian diets provide various health benefits due to their high plant-based content. These diets, for example, are frequently high in fiber, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory chemicals, all of which are beneficial to heart health.

Additionally, eating entire soy products like tofu on a daily basis has been linked to heart health. Soy protein consumption was found to considerably lower LDL (bad) and total cholesterol levels in an analysis of 46 research.

Furthermore, an observational study including over 200,000 participants found that eating tofu and isoflavones (antioxidants found in soy) on a regular basis was connected to a moderately reduced risk of heart disease.

Several other studies have found that vegetarian and vegan diets dramatically reduce risk factors for heart disease, such as excessive cholesterol and blood pressure, overweight and obesity, and uncontrolled blood sugar levels.

Furthermore, observational studies link higher vegan or vegetarian diet adherence to a lower risk of heart disease and mortality.

Of course, the quality of one's nutrition is still crucial. Vegan or vegetarian diets high in added sugars, refined grains, and severely processed meals do not provide the same heart-health benefits as vegan or vegetarian diets high in whole, minimally processed plant foods.

4. The Flexitarian Diet

The Flexitarian Diet, developed by nutritionist Dawn Jackson Blatner, is a diet that emphasizes plant foods while allowing moderate amounts of meat, fish, dairy, and other animal products. It encourages you to obtain the majority of your protein from plant-based sources.

There is no established rule for how much or how often you should consume animal products; it is entirely up to you.

You should restrict or eliminate added sugars, refined grains, processed meats, and other highly processed meals, and eat largely whole, less processed foods.

Observational studies link a higher adherence to plant-based diets to a decreased risk of heart disease, despite the fact that the diversity allowed on this diet makes it difficult to examine.

Furthermore, the diet's emphasis on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes has been linked to improvements in heart disease risk factors.

The Flexitarian Diet may be a more feasible alternative for those who want the heart advantages of a plant-based diet without having to give up meat and other animal products than a rigid vegan or vegetarian diet.

5. The TLC Diet

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) created the Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) diet to help people minimize their risk of heart disease and stroke.

It covers food and lifestyle guidelines to help people maintain a healthy weight and cholesterol levels, such as:

• Daily moderate-intensity exercise for at least 30 minutes
• Getting 25–35 percent of your daily calories from fat is a good goal.
• Consuming no more than 7% of your daily calories in saturated fat
• Consuming no more than 200 mg of cholesterol every day
• A daily intake of 10–25 grams of soluble fiber
• Daily consumption of at least 2 grams of plant sterols or stanols
• Consuming only the number of calories required to maintain a healthy weight

Several studies show that eating a low-fat, low-saturated-fat diet lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. An older, 32-day study of 36 adults discovered that the TLC diet lowered this marker by 11%..

The diet is supposed to operate by increasing soluble fiber consumption, which can be found in foods such as oat bran, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, and a variety of fruits and vegetables.

High total and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels have been linked to a lower risk of heart disease, and soluble fiber in particular has been found to lower total and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.

Several studies show that eating a low-fat, low-saturated-fat diet lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. An older, 32-day study of 36 adults discovered that the TLC diet lowered this marker by 11%.

The diet is supposed to operate by increasing soluble fiber consumption, which can be found in foods such as oat bran, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, and a variety of fruits and vegetables.

High total and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels have been linked to a lower risk of heart disease, and soluble fiber in particular has been found to lower total and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.

Plant stanols or sterols, which are naturally occurring chemicals in foods including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds, are also recommended as part of the TLC diet.

According to research, eating 2 grams of plant sterols or stanols per day, as recommended by the diet, may help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels by 8–10%.

The TLC diet's final strength is its prescription of 30 minutes of moderate activity every day.

Regular exercise has been shown in studies to be beneficial to heart health and disease prevention. According to one study, physical inactivity may contribute for up to 6% of all heart disease cases worldwide.

6. Low Carb Diet

Low-carb diets are often heavier in protein and/or fat than the typical Western diet since they restrict carb intake. Breads, grains, pasta, potatoes, and sugary snacks and beverages are typically avoided.

Carbohydrates may be limited to 10–40% of daily calories, depending on the diet.

Low-carbohydrate diets have been shown to improve heart health by lowering specific heart disease risk factors like obesity, overweight, and high triglyceride and blood pressure levels while improving HDL (good) cholesterol levels.

While one study observed an increase in LDL (bad) cholesterol, it also found a higher increase in HDL (good) cholesterol, suggesting that low-carb diets may aid in maintaining a healthy LDL/HDL ratio.

While these findings are encouraging, more long-term research is required.

Furthermore, not all low-carb diets are heart-healthy by definition. People who follow these diets have a higher risk of heart disease and death, according to certain observational studies).

However, a study that looked at diet quality found that low-carb diets high in plant protein and fat were linked to a lower risk of mortality from heart disease and all causes, whereas those high in animal protein and fat were tied to a higher risk.

As a result, the quality of one's nutrition is crucial. Low-carb diets should, in particular, include enough fiber from plant foods like vegetables and a focus on healthy fats like avocados, nuts, seeds, minimally processed plant oils, and omega-3-rich fish.

How To Choose A Heart-Healthy Diet

Consider variables such as dietary quality, scientific evidence, ease of implementation, and long-term sustainability when choosing a heart-healthy diet.

While additional research on the effect of individual nutrients is needed, research shows that diets rich in whole foods, particularly plant-based diets, are beneficial to heart health.

As a result, healthy diets allow for a wide variety of natural foods while limiting added sweets and processed fats. According to new research, when it comes to heart health, it's the type of fat that matters most, not the amount.

Mono- and polyunsaturated fats, for example, have been proven to increase LDL (bad) cholesterol, decrease HDL (good) cholesterol, and worsen inflammation, whereas trans fats have been shown to increase LDL (bad) cholesterol, decrease HDL (good) cholesterol, and worsen inflammation.

Although research on saturated fats is equivocal, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that you consume no more than 10% of your daily calories from them.

Because heart disease prevention involves a variety of lifestyle factors, choosing a plan that promotes a healthy weight and regular physical exercise can be beneficial.

Finally, ask your healthcare physician before beginning any diet to ensure that it is the best selection for your circumstances.

The Bottom Line

Heart health has been found to be improved by a variety of diets.

Despite their variances, all of these eating plans encourage whole, minimally processed foods while limiting processed meals, particularly those high in added sugar and saturated fat.

Diet is, of course, only one part of the puzzle.

It's also crucial to exercise frequently, quit smoking, and discover ways to manage your stress levels to help your heart health.