In December 2021, the American Heart Association published its dietary guidelines for improving cardiovascular health in Circulation. This guide adds little to what we already knew about dietary recommendations, but it serves to emphasize the need to modify our diet for cardiovascular health and that our dietary habits can improve our health.
It is well established that diet influences the likelihood of suffering from diseases such as heart attacks and strokes, and therefore the risk of death from cardiovascular disease. Therefore, the recommendations of the aforementioned guide should form the basis of the diet for your cardiovascular health and are summarized in the following points.
Dietary recommendations to improve cardiovascular health:
1. Reduce calorie intake and exercise daily to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.
2. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables, and choose a wide variety.
3. Choose whole grain foods instead of refined products.
4. Consume mainly proteins from plants (especially legumes and nuts).
5. Eat fish frequently.
6. Use low-fat or fat-free dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheeses).
7. If meat or poultry is desired, select lean cuts and avoid processed forms.
8. Use liquid vegetable oils (olive, corn, soybean, or sunflower oil). Avoid tropical oils (coconut, palm, and palm kernel) and animal fats (butter and lard).
9. Choose minimally processed foods instead of ultra-processed foods.
10. Avoid eating drinks and foods with added sugars.
11. Choose and prepare foods with little or no salt.
12. If you don’t drink alcohol, don’t start; if you decide to drink alcohol, limit your intake.
13. The diet should be rich in fiber, so you should consume plant foods, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, and whole grain products.
14. The diet should be low in saturated fats, partially hydrogenated (trans) fats, cholesterol, added sugar and salt.
15. Finally, monitor your blood pressure and your blood sugar and cholesterol levels to complete your cardiovascular health diet.
