Diet directly impacts cardiovascular health. According to the American Heart Association, the following nine "golden rules" of eating can help protect the heart and reduce the risk of long-term disease.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, and much of the blame lies in what we eat. Foods like potato chips, soda, processed meats, and delicious, buttery meals are enemies of the heart. In an updated edition published in the scientific journal Circulation , the American Heart Association (AHA) outlined nine key points of a heart-protective diet.
Eating plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains is very good for cardiovascular health.
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9 steps of a heart-healthy eating plan
According to an updated statement, the heart-healthy eating model includes all nine of the following points, according to the research website Study Finds.
- Adjust your calorie intake and physical activity to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.
- Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, and choose a variety of them.
- Choose foods made primarily from whole grains instead of refined grains.
- Choose healthy protein sources: prioritize beans and nuts, eat fish and seafood regularly, opt for low-fat or non-fat dairy; if you want to eat red meat, choose lean, unprocessed cuts in limited portions.
- Choose sources of unsaturated fats (from vegetable oils) instead of saturated fats (animal fats).
- Choose minimally processed foods instead of ultra-processed foods.
- Minimize the amount of added sugar in drinks and food.
- Choose foods that are low in sodium and prepare food with little or no salt.
- If you don't drink alcohol, don't start; if you do drink, cut back.
Explanation from the researchers.
Researchers led by Professor Alice H. Lichtenstein, PhD, Chair of the American Heart Association's Nutrition Committee, explain that whole grains and fruits (eaten whole instead of juiced) provide fiber and nutrients that help improve blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar. Replacing butter and animal fats with vegetable oils helps lower "bad" cholesterol.
Specifically, data shows that adults who get 25% or more of their daily calories from added sugar face nearly three times the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, according to Study Finds.
Regarding alcohol, the latest analyses show that drinking alcohol at any level is harmful to the heart and increases blood pressure, even at low consumption levels.
Experts conclude that heart-healthy eating patterns should begin as early as one year old, as habits formed early tend to last a lifetime.
Therefore: Eat more whole foods, cut back on processed foods, and start protecting your heart as early as possible.