If youve recently experienced a heart event, youve probably heard some version of the following:
Make sure youre planning heart-healthy meals.
Eat only healthy foods for the heart.
Focus on foods for a healthy heart.
This is all excellent advice for someone with a heart condition, but what exactly does heart-healthy mean? This post will cover the following:
- What a heart-healthy diet is
- Foods to add and avoid for heart health
- How to find support as you change your diet
Once you understand the basics of a heart-healthy diet, you can select food and plan meals based on your own tastes and lifestyle. Remember to consult your health care provider and dietician before making any changes to your diet and follow their recommendations for diet, exercise and lifestyle for your heart condition.
What Is Heart Healthy?
A heart-healthy diet consists of whole grains, low sugar, unprocessed food, monitored sodium levels and lean proteins. The American Heart Association gives the following guidelines for a heart-healthy diet:
- Cut out or strictly limit alcohol
- Dont use tobacco products
- Cut back on added salt and sodium
- Focus on whole grains
- Expand your horizons with a wide variety of fruits and veggies
- Use non-tropical vegetable oils
- Seek out unprocessed or minimally processed options
- Focus on lean and healthy proteins like fish, legumes and non-fat dairy
Foods for a Healthy Heart
What puts food on the eat or avoid list for heart health? Understanding why certain foods are a part of your heart-healthy diet may help you add or remove them from your lifestyle.
Sodium, Its Complicated
Too much sodium can cause fluid retention around the heart or lungs. This could raise blood pressure which may increase the risk of stroke or heart attack. Conversely, a lack of adequate sodium can cause serious problems for those with heart failure.
Since research results regarding sodium vary, talk to your health care team about your sodium intake. Ask your provider or dietician for a daily sodium intake amount to work into your heart-healthy diet.
If youre aiming for less sodium (and most people will be):
- Choose unprocessed or minimally processed foods
- Reduce the amount of salt you add to your food after cooking
- Limit restaurants and fast food
- Make your own food using fresh ingredients
Look For Whole Grain
Whole grains can lower insulin levels, bad cholesterol levels and blood pressure. Regular whole grain consumption can help raise good cholesterol levels and keep you feeling full longer than refined grains options.
The term refined means the grains have been processed to a point where little nutritional value brought by whole grains remains. Enriched or fortified whole grains indicate fiber and vitamins have been added. These options are better than refined but not as good as true, unprocessed whole-grain options.
Common examples of refined grains include:
- White bread and pasta
- Baked goods
- Snack crackers
- Packaged oatmeal
Opt for whole grain options, like:
- Whole grain bread and pasta
- Whole wheat flour
- Brown rice
- Steel-cut oats
Its Protein, But Is It Lean?
When it comes to heart-healthy nutrition, be picky about your proteins. Plant-based protein such as beans, soy and nuts are great options. Lean meat like fish and skinless chicken are also great sources of lean protein.
Avoid too much red meat, which contains higher levels of saturated fat. Saturated fat can raise bad cholesterol and increase the risk of heart disease. If you choose red meat, select lean cuts, which contain lower levels of saturated fat.
Whats With Processed?
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics assigns the label processed to any food that has been altered from its original state. Food like bagged spinach or roasted nuts are minimally processed for convenience and still retain high nutritional value.
Frozen fruits and veggies, canned tuna and tomatoes are packaged at a time where they keep a good amount of nutrition as well. These types of food are considered low on the processed food spectrum.
Foods with added ingredients are next up on the processed food spectrum. Many times this is sugar or a similar sweetener like those found in yogurt or brownie mixes. Once you start label reading, you may be surprised at how many different kinds of food have added sugar or sweeteners.
Topping the processed food chart is ready-to-eat food. This group consists of crackers, chicken nuggets, deli meat and most cereal. These types of food are heavily processed to prolong shelf-life and enhance convenience. They are often packed with sodium and added sweeteners.
When possible, avoid prepackaged food. Making your own meals and snacks from fresh ingredients is a great way to keep your diet unprocessed/minimally processed.
Keeping Fruits and Veggies Heart-Healthy
Eating lots of fruits and vegetables is a great way to maintain a heart-healthy diet. But knowing how to prepare them can help you avoid common pitfalls that can counteract some of the health benefits of these heart-healthy choices:
- Eat them raw. Fruits and veggies, in their natural state, are packed with nutrients.
- Be careful how you cook them. When you cook veggies, add only light amounts of healthy cooking oils. Avoid breading and frying your veggies.
- Read labels. Check the nutrition info on that frozen fruit bag or canned fruit with heavy syrup, which can be sneaky sources of added sugars. If youre eating canned fruit, drain the syrup and rinse the fruit before you eat it. You wont get rid of the added sugar, but you can decrease the amount youre eating.
Limiting Sugar Intake
High-sugar diets contribute to obesity, which increases the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, heightened cholesterol and inflammation. In fact, high-sugar diets have been linked with increased mortality rates from cardiovascular disease.
Naturally occurring sugars in unprocessed fruit and grains can be a great addition to a heart-healthy diet. The Cleveland Clinic recommends women should have about six teaspoons of sugar a day and men should have approximately nine. Most, if not all, of these should come from natural sources.
Artificial Sweeteners
There are plenty of sugar substitutes out there that make your favorite treats just as tasty, right? Right, but proceed with caution. Like refined sugars, these artificial substitutes can cause the body to crave more sweets. Health effects may depend on the type of sugar substitute and your health history. Talk to your health care professional about the use of artificial sweeteners in your diet.
One Step at a Time
A complete diet overhaul all at once is daunting. Start small by asking your provider and nutritionist for a plan that will help you make lasting changes over the long term. Choose one or two habits to add at a time. For example, swap your morning cereal for oatmeal. Once this becomes a habit, venture into trying out one new veggie a week. Replace your favorite beef burger with a black-bean burger.
Craving something sweet? Try raw fruit on some low-fat plain yogurt for dessert. Add granola for some healthy grains if youre craving a little crunch.
Dont want to give up eating out? Ask for a reduced-sodium menu at your favorite restaurant. Order salads with leafy greens and ask for dressings on the side (only add a little bit).
Need some grab-and-go options? Make yourself small bags of heart-healthy protein snacks you can keep in the car or in your bag.
Dont Go It Alone
If youre struggling to find the best foods to eat for heart disease or wondering how to change your lifestyle, youre not alone. Your health care team is your best resource. They can provide tips and a plan customized to your specific heart condition and needs. Its also helpful to join a heart failure support group in your community where youll have like-minded people to answer questions and keep you accountable. Finally, ask a friend or family member to adopt a heart-healthy lifestyle with you. Its always easier to make a change with a partner by your side.
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