The Makeup of a Heart Healthy Diet

Think of your heart as a machine. To run efficiently, it needs the optimal fuel that will keep it going. Eating heart healthy foods is one of the most important things you can do to reduce your risk of contracting cardiovascular disease (CVD). When you eat right, you lower your cholesterol, blood pressure, and your risk of diabetes, all significant risk factors for CVD.

Your diet should consist of heart healthy foods that will fuel your body and keep it running smoothly. Keep reading to learn the makeup of a heart healthy diet.

Fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables should account for half of your overall diet.[i] Not only are fruits and vegetables great sources of important vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fibers, they are also low in calories and can help you feel full.

It’s important to eat fruits and vegetables in many different colors, as each provides different benefits. For example, leafy greens are a great source of vitamin K, which protects your arteries, promotes proper blood clotting, and are high in dietary nitrates, which have been proven to reduce blood pressure and improve the function of blood vessels.[ii] Strawberries, meanwhile, have shown to reduce cholesterol.[iii] By diversifying what types of fruits and vegetables you consume, you can gain the most benefits from your diet.

You can eat fruits and vegetables fresh, frozen, canned, dried, dehydrated, pureed, or cooked. Juices also provide many of the benefits of fruits and vegetables, excluding the fiber that comes from eating them whole. When eating fruits and vegetables that are not fresh, or when drinking fruit and vegetable juices, it is important to pay attention to any added ingredients, such as sugar or salt. These added ingredients detract from the full benefits of consuming fruits and vegetables.

Whole grains

Whole grains are a great source of dietary fibers, complex carbohydrates, vitamin B, and iron, all important for your heart. Fiber can reduce blood cholesterol and is an important ingredient for your overall digestive health, while iron helps with carrying blood through your blood vessels.[iv]

It’s important to choose whole grains over refined grains because these specifically improve heart health. In fact, eating at least three servings of whole grains has proven to reduce the risk of heart disease by 22% in several studies.[v] Refined grains, on the other hand, were linked with higher risks of CVD.

The difference between whole grains and refined grains boils down to how processed the grains are. Whole grains include the entire grain, made up of bran, germ, and endosperm. Refined grains have been ground, removing the bran and germ, which account for most of the nutrients. Often refined grains are enriched or fortified, but this does not add back all the nutrients that were extracted during processing.

Good sources of whole grains include whole wheat or whole grain bread, whole wheat pasta, oatmeal, barley, or whole grain rice. Keep your eyes on food labels for terms such as “whole wheat” or “whole grain.” Products that advertise “wheat flour” or “multigrain” may not be whole grain.

Lean protein

Protein is an important ingredient for every cell in the human body. You need protein to repair damaged cells and make new ones. Today, most people are eating enough protein. In fact, many people are eating too much protein. Only 10%-35% of your diet should be protein.[vi]

Often protein is associated with red meat, which is very high in fat and can increase your risk of heart disease.[vii] Replacing red meat and other high-fat sources of protein with lean protein can significantly improve heart health by lowering cholesterol, blood pressure, and risks of obesity.

Some great sources of lean protein include poultry, fish, low-fat dairy products, eggs, legumes, beans, lentils, soy, seeds, and nuts. As with fruits and vegetables, it’s important to eat a wide variety of protein, including meat and non-meat sources, as each provides different benefits. Fish, for example, is rich in omega-3, which can lower blood fat or triglycerides and improve heart health. Nuts and legumes are great sources of protein and have no cholesterol and significantly less fat than meat protein sources.

Healthy fats

Fat has a bad rap, but there are healthy fats that your body needs to thrive. There are four types of fat: saturated, trans, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated. You want to avoid saturated and trans fats, which can lead to a buildup of plaque in your arteries and increase your risk of a heart attack or stroke. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, on the other hand, can lower bad cholesterol and provide vitamins and antioxidants that are important for heart health.

A few great sources of healthy fat include olive oil, canola oil, flaxseeds, nuts, and avocados. Olive oil has proven to significantly improve heart health because of the antioxidants it contains. One study showed that consuming olive oil led to a 48% reduction in CVD risks.[viii]

While healthy fats have tons of benefits, it’s important to remember that they still are fats and should be consumed in moderation. High fat foods, even healthy fats, tend to be high calorie, meaning even small amounts provide the full amount you need for your daily nutrition.

Foods to avoid

There are certain foods that can be detrimental to your heart health. If you’re focusing on a heart healthy diet, there are several things you should avoid:

  • Saturated and trans fats: These lead to high cholesterol and an increased risk of CVD.
  • Sugar: Desserts and sugary drinks increase your risk of obesity and heart disease. A Harvard study showed that people whose diets consisted of 25% sugar were twice as likely to die from CVD.[ix]
  • Salt: Sodium increases blood pressure and risks of CVD.[x] Canned and processed foods are generally high sources of salt.

A balanced diet for a healthy heart

When you fill your plate with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats, you are instantly reducing your risks of CVD. Of course, even when eating a healthy diet, it’s important to control your portion size and ensure you are only eating what your body needs. Fuel your body with what it needs and the right amounts, and your heart healthy will significantly improve.

If you’re concerned about your risks of CVD, a quick screening can check your heart health. MyCardioGuard offers accurate and inexpensive screenings to detect early-stage CVD, even if you have no symptoms. Learn more on our website: https://www.mycardioguard.com/


[i] MyPlate. The U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://www.myplate.gov/

[ii] Pollock, Richard Lee. “The Effect of Green Leafy and Cruciferous Vegetable Intake on the Incidence of Cardiovascular Disease: A Meta-Analysis.” JRSM Cardiovascular Disease, SAGE Publications, 1 Aug. 2016, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4973479/.

[iii] Basu, Arpita, et al. “Dietary Strawberries Improve Cardiometabolic Risks in Adults with Obesity and Elevated Serum LDL-Cholesterol in a Randomized Controlled Crossover Trial.” Current Developments in Nutrition, vol. 5, no. Supplement_2, 2021, pp. 297–297., https://doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzab037_007.

[iv] “Grains.” MyPlate, https://www.myplate.gov/eat-healthy/grains.

[v] Aune, Dagfinn, et al. “Whole Grain Consumption and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease, Cancer, and All Cause and Cause Specific Mortality: Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Prospective Studies.” BMJ, 2016, p. i2716., https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.i2716.

[vi] Kristi Wempen, R.D.N. “Are You Getting Too Much Protein?” Mayo Clinic Health System, Mayo Clinic Health System, 29 Apr. 2022, https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/are-you-getting-too-much-protein.

[vii] Guasch-Ferré, Marta, et al. “Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials of Red Meat Consumption in Comparison with Various Comparison Diets on Cardiovascular Risk Factors.” Circulation, vol. 139, no. 15, 2019, pp. 1828–1845., https://doi.org/10.1161/circulationaha.118.035225.

[viii] Guasch-Ferré, Marta, et al. “Olive Oil Intake and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality in the Predimed Study.” BMC Medicine, vol. 12, no. 1, 2014, https://doi.org/10.1186/1741-7015-12-78.

[ix] “Eating Too Much Added Sugar Increases the Risk of Dying with Heart Disease.” Harvard Health, 6 Feb. 2014, https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/eating-too-much-added-sugar-increases-the-risk-of-dying-with-heart-disease-201402067021.

[x] He, Feng J., and Graham A. MacGregor. “Role of Salt Intake in Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease: Controversies and Challenges.” Nature Reviews Cardiology, vol. 15, no. 6, 2018, pp. 371–377., https://doi.org/10.1038/s41569-018-0004-1.

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