Diets high in ultra-processed foods, sugars, and unhealthy fats can increase heart disease risk. Changing your diet can have a positive effect on your heart, even if you already have heart disease.

Your heart is a complex organ that works continuously to provide your body with a constant supply of oxygen-rich blood.

It’s part of the cardiovascular system, which also includes arteries, veins, and capillaries.

Research suggests that diet may be the most preventive factor in heart disease-related death, which accounts for one-third of deaths worldwide. Following a heart-healthy diet can significantly reduce your chances of developing heart disease or dying from it.

This article explains how diet affects heart health and shares evidence-based ways to promote cardiovascular health and reduce heart disease risk using simple, realistic dietary changes.

Your diet affects the health of every part of your body, including your heart.

After all, food provides the nutrients your body needs to function optimally, including:

While you can’t control some risk factors for heart disease, like age or genetics, diet is something you can change. Specifically, diet can help reduce the following risk factors for heart disease:

  • High blood pressure: Also known as hypertension, high blood pressure can damage blood vessels and narrow arteries, increasing strain on your heart. Diets that emphasize fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins can significantly lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of hypertension.
  • High blood lipids: Elevated levels of circulating lipids (fats) in your blood, like cholesterol and triglycerides, can lead to atherosclerosis and increase your chance of heart disease. A high fiber diet that’s low in added sugar and processed foods can help reduce this risk.
  • High blood sugar: High blood sugar and insulin resistance can lead to the buildup of compounds that can affect the heart’s function. This can lead to diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD), which are more likely if you’re eating a diet of ultra-processed foods and added sugar.
  • Excess body weight: The calorie-dense Western diet can contribute to weight gain and obesity, increasing heart disease risk. Even just too much abdominal fat is a risk factor.

A note on weight discrimination

Although studies often suggest that obesity is a risk factor for certain health conditions, they rarely account for the role weight stigma and discrimination play in health. Discrimination is one of the social determinants of health — the conditions in daily life that affect our health — and it can and does contribute to health inequities.

Meanwhile, experiences of weight stigma in daily life, inside and outside of medical settings, are associated with negative mental and physical health outcomes.

Everyone deserves appropriate and compassionate medical care. If you’re interested in finding weight-inclusive healthcare professionals, you may want to follow the work of the Association for Size Diversity and Health.

Through decades of research, scientists have narrowed down which diets are most associated with a healthy heart and low risk of cardiovascular disease.

Mediterranean diet

The Mediterranean diet is one of the most studied diets when it comes to heart health.

It’s generally high in plant-based foods like beans, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, seafood, and healthy fats like extra virgin olive oil and nuts, and low in ultra-processed foods, red and processed meats, and added sugar.

A 2024 study found that following a Mediterranean-style diet could cut the risk of heart disease by almost half.

Following a Mediterranean-style diet can include non-Mediterranean cultural foods

Remember that choosing an eating pattern rooted in the principles of the Mediterranean diet doesn’t have to mean giving up your cultural foods.

In fact, it’s important that your eating habits incorporate foods that are easy to access locally and meaningful to you culturally or personally.

For example, learn more about giving the Mediterranean diet a Caribbean twist.

DASH diet

In the 1990s, researchers at the National Institutes of Health developed the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet.

Studies have found that the DASH diet can effectively lower blood pressure by focusing on fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and low fat dairy. The DASH eating plan also limits saturated and trans fats and sodium.

A 2023 study by the American Heart Association identified the DASH diet as the best diet for heart health.

Plant-based diets

Research links adherence to plant-based diets, such as vegetarian and vegan diets, to improved heart health and decreased risk of heart disease.

That said, plant-based diets high in refined grains, sugar-sweetened beverages, and highly processed snacks can still increase the risk of heart disease.

Diets most associated with improved heart health outcomes are typically high in plant foods like vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, and seeds, and low in ultra-processed foods, processed and red meats, and added sugar.

You don’t have to subscribe to a specific diet for better heart health. Still, it can help to know which foods are beneficial and which are not.

Foods to eat

Your diet as a whole matters most when it comes to disease prevention, but regularly consuming the following foods can benefit your heart health and promote overall wellness.

  • Fruits: Fruits are high in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds that protect the heart. Citrus fruits, apples, pears, and berries may be especially helpful.
  • Vegetables: All vegetables are heart-healthy, but some studies suggest that onions, garlic, cruciferous vegetables, leafy green vegetables, and carrots may offer greater benefits.
  • Seafood: Seafood is high in nutrients like omega-3 fats, which benefit cardiovascular health.
  • Legumes: Beans and lentils are loaded with fiber and minerals like magnesium and potassium, which are essential to cardiovascular health.
  • Whole grains: Foods like quinoa, brown rice, and oats are high in fiber and other nutrients associated with improved heart health. Replacing refined grains with whole grains may help reduce heart disease risk.
  • Healthy fats: Adding sources of healthy fats like olive oil, olives, nuts and seeds, fatty fish, and avocado to your diet may help improve heart health.
  • Spices: Research shows that spices like turmeric, garlic, saffron, and ginger have powerful anti-inflammatory effects and may help reduce heart disease risk factors.

Foods to avoid

For optimal heart health, experts advise avoiding foods that are high in:

These components are linked to an increased risk of heart problems.

One good way to do this is to avoid ultra-processed foods, which are often high in these components. A 2021 study revealed that each daily serving of ultra-processed food was associated with a 9% higher mortality.

Generally, it’s a good idea to avoid eating the following:

  • fresh or frozen vegetables or meats with sauces or marinades
  • pre-made sauces or ready-to-eat rice or pasta
  • fatty meats or poultry with skin
  • butter, lard, or coconut and palm oil
  • sweetened snacks, desserts, or drinks

It’s a good idea to cook your own food as much as possible, as restaurant or pre-made foods are more likely to be processed and unhealthy for your heart.

You don’t have to avoid eating out entirely. Just be conscious about what you choose to eat out of the house, read food labels carefully, and limit your alcohol consumption.

Here’s a sample 3-day heart-healthy meal plan to help get you started.

Keep in mind that this diet is not meant to treat pre-existing conditions that affect the heart, like heart failure.

If you have a heart condition and aren’t sure what to eat, talk with a healthcare professional. They can refer you to a registered dietitian who can give you specific dietary advice based on your health needs.

Day 1

  • Breakfast: an egg omelet made with sautéed peppers, kale, and onions, served with sliced avocado and berries
  • Lunch: lentil soup served with a green salad with pumpkin seeds, feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, and balsamic vinaigrette
  • Dinner: salmon with pesto served with broccoli and roasted sweet potatoes
  • Snacks: trail mix made with almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds, and dried cherries

Day 2

  • Breakfast: overnight oats made with almond butter, chia seeds, 2% milk (or soy or 2% lactose-free milk), golden raisins, and mixed berries
  • Lunch: Mediterranean quinoa salad with arugula, chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, olives, and feta cheese with olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette
  • Dinner: baked chicken breast with butternut squash and asparagus
  • Snacks: unsweetened Greek yogurt with diced apples, sliced almonds, and cinnamon

Day 3

  • Breakfast: shakshuka — a Mediterranean-style breakfast made with eggs and tomatoes — served with a slice of sprouted grain bread topped with mashed avocado and chili flakes
  • Lunch: grilled shrimp and pineapple kabobs over a large green salad with an olive oil and herb vinaigrette
  • Dinner: black bean burgers served with cucumber and red onion salad and roasted herbed potato wedges
  • Snacks: garlic hummus with fresh vegetable sticks

Following a diet rich in nutrient-dense foods like the ones above while limiting foods and beverages associated with negative heart health outcomes can help keep your cardiovascular system healthy and reduce your risk of heart disease.

What is the best breakfast for heart patients?

Breakfasts that exclude processed foods and include plenty of healthy protein, fruit, and vegetables are best for your heart. For example, try eggs with avocados and berries or oatmeal with raisins and chia seeds.

What is the 3-day heart diet?

The 3-day heart diet claims that you can lose up to 10 pounds (4.5 kg) in just 3 days. However, experts have criticized it as too difficult to follow, ineffective, and potentially harmful to your health.

What are the best drinks for your heart?

The healthiest drinks for your heart include water (either still or sparkling), unflavored cow or plant-based milk, tea, and coffee.

Studies show that your diet can either increase or decrease your risk of developing heart disease.

While research links diets high in ultra-processed foods and added sugar to increased risk, dietary patterns high in fiber-rich plant foods like fruits and vegetables, fish, and healthy fats like olive oil can support heart health.

Whether you’re living with heart disease or simply trying to reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular disease in the future, making a few simple dietary changes can have a profound effect on your heart health.