A heart healthy diet is low in saturated fat, cholesterol, sugar and salt but high in fiber
An assortment of healthy ingredients, including beans, fish, berries and vegetables A heart healthy diet plan is low in saturated fat and cholesterol. The best heart healthy diets increase your intake of fiber and decrease how much sugar, sodium and salt you eat. By learning to read food labels, you can determine the amount of sodium, sugar or cholesterol in a product and make healthier food choices.
Reduce saturated fat and cholesterol
To protect your heart, you must reduce the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol in your diet. Choose low-fat, low-cholesterol foods whenever possible, seek out heart healthy diet recipes and ask for heart healthy diet menus when you eat out.
Examples of heart healthy diet foods include:
- Canola oil, olive oil, olives, avocado and nuts
- Non-fat or 1% milk, non-fat or low-fat yogurt
- Fresh fruits and vegetables, plain frozen vegetables
- Whole-grain bread, cereal, pasta, pretzels
- Fish*, white-meat chicken and turkey, dried beans, tofu and lean cuts of meat
*Children and pregnant women should avoid eating fish with the highest level of mercury contamination.
Low-fat cooking
- Broil, roast, bake, steam or microwave fish, chicken, turkey and lean cuts of red meat
- Remove the skin of chicken and cut the extra fat off meat before you cook it
- Brown meat under the broiler
- Use broth instead of fat
- Use nonstick pans or cooking sprays
- Steam or microwave vegetables, and serve with herbs or non-fat, butter-flavored seasoning
Eat less sugar
Research indicates that a diet high in sugar can increase your risk of heart disease. For a healthier heart, reduce the amount of sweets in your daily diet.
When you're researching heart healthy diet recipes, choose:
- Fresh fruit
- Homemade dessert breads such as pumpkin, zucchini and cranberry
- Club soda, seltzer water or mineral water
Avoid:
- Sweet snacks and candy
- Store-bought pies, cookies and other packaged baked goods
Read food labels
On food labels, the section labeled Nutrition Facts will tell you how much sodium is in a product. Also, check the list of ingredients. Look for the words "salt" or "sodium." If either word is listed at the beginning of the list or more than once, the food probably has a lot of sodium and should not be a part of your heart healthy diet recipe.
- Sodium-free: Less than 5 mg of sodium per serving
- Very Low sodium: 35 mg or less of sodium per serving
- Low sodium: 140 mg or less of sodium per serving
- Reduced sodium: At least 25% less sodium per serving than the regular product
- Light or lite: At least 50% less sodium per serving than the regular product
- No salt added: No salt is added to a product that normally has salt added
Decrease sodium and salt
Sodium is in salt. It is used to flavor and preserve foods. In some people, sodium can contribute to high blood pressure. Choose and prepare foods with little or no salt. Aim to eat less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day.
Eat more fiber
A diet high in fiber can help lower your cholesterol, which is good for a healthy heart diet. Adults need about 25 grams of fiber each day. Check the chart below to see how much fiber you're getting in your diet.
| Food: | Serving size: | Fiber content (in grams): |
|---|---|---|
| Apple | 1 small | 3.1 |
| Banana | 1 medium | 1.8 |
| Raw carrot | 1 medium | 3.7 |
| Green beans | 1/2 cup | 1.2 |
| Orange | 1 small | 1.8 |
| Shredded wheat | 2 biscuits | 6.1 |
| Whole-wheat bread | 1 slice | 2.4 |
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Healthy recipes
Download these heart healthy recipes for easy meal time options.