Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the U.S. However, around 80% of cardiovascular diseases are preventable, meaning that you can significantly lower your risk of heart disease by taking steps like changing your diet and getting more physical activity.
While there’s no single food or diet that guarantees a healthy heart, certain dietary choices, like adding more fruits and beans into your diet, can have a powerful impact on heart disease risk factors, like high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
In this article, cardiologists share the foods they personally eat and recommend to patients for a healthy heart.
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Some of Di Pietro’s go-to heart-healthy foods are beans and lentils, which are high in a specific type of fiber that benefits heart health.
Soluble fiber binds to cholesterol and prevents it from being absorbed into the bloodstream. Research shows that eating just three-fourths of a cup of beans per day may reduce LDL cholesterol levels by 19% and lower heart disease rates by 11%.
Di Pietro also recommends beans and lentils because they’re rich in potassium, which is essential for blood pressure control.
How to add it to your diet: Di Pietro incorporates beans and lentils into her diet by adding them to soups, stews, and salads. “I also suggest using lentils or black beans as a base for meatless meals once or twice a week,” she said.
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Dr. Fadi N. Chaaban regularly consumes fatty fish for his own heart at least twice a week. “Personally, I like to have grilled or baked salmon about twice a week, often served with roasted vegetables or on top of a hearty salad,” Chaaban told Health.
Fatty fish are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which help lower inflammation and reduce blood lipid and blood pressure levels. Omega-3 fats can also improve the flexibility of blood vessels, aiding circulation.
This can be as simple as swapping in salmon for red meat once or twice a week or trying canned sardines or tuna, according to Chaaban.
How to add it to your diet: Chaaban recommends cooking fatty fish by baking, grilling, or broiling instead of frying. “Throw a salmon fillet on a baking sheet, add a little olive oil, squeeze lemon juice over it, and top it with any herbs you like,” he shared. Serve it with a side of steamed broccoli or over a healthy grain like quinoa.
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For an easy and delicious way to support heart health, Dr. John P. Higgins recommends incorporating nuts into your diet.
Studies show that regularly eating nuts, like almonds, can significantly lower levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol and markers of inflammation, which can reduce heart disease risk. Snacking on almonds can improve satiety and glycemic control, which are essential for maintaining a healthy heart.
How to add it to your diet: To make sure he’s getting plenty of heart-healthy nutrients in his diet, Higgins typically eats a small handful of raw almonds mid-morning or adds sliced almonds to his morning oatmeal. He also uses them as a crunchy topping for salads.
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Dr. Oen-Hsiao recommends snacking on dried fruits when you’re craving something sweet. Unlike other candies and cookies, they do not have added sugar.
Oen-Hsiao recommends dried fruits like prunes, apricots, and raisins. These fruits are packed with fiber and other nutrients that can help lower heart disease risk factors, like high cholesterol.
Just be mindful of portion sizes. “They tend to be higher in sugar than fresh fruits due to the sugar becoming more concentrated in the drying process,” she explained.
How to add it to your diet: Oen-Hsiao likes mixing dried fruit with heart-healthy nuts, like almonds, walnuts, pecans, and pistachios, for a balanced snack.
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Swapping refined grains, like white bread and white pasta, for whole grains is an easy way to reduce your risk of heart disease.
Following a diet high in refined carbs can increase your risk of metabolic syndrome, a group of conditions that increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and several other health issues. People who eat more refined grains are also more likely to gain weight over time compared to people who eat complex carbs.
The fiber in whole grains also helps lower high blood pressure, one of the most critical risk factors for heart disease.
How to add it to your diet: Oen-Hsiao recommends keeping whole grains like oats, quinoa, and brown rice in your pantry. “You will always have something healthy to pair with the rest of your meal or snack,” she said.
To support heart health and lower your risk of heart disease, try switching up your diet by adding in more heart-healthy foods.
Cardiologists recommend eating more nutritious foods like beans, lentils, fatty fish, nuts, fruit, and whole grains for an easy and delicious way to care for your heart.
