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The American Heart Association released updated dietary guidelines for heart health.The nine practices aim to help Americans make food choices that prevent heart disease and confounding factors, like high blood pressure.A cardiologist weighs in on the updates.<\/p>\n
The American Heart Association (AHA) recently released updated dietary guidelines<\/a> for improved heart health<\/a>\u2014a list of recommendations that supersede a similar document that was released in 2021.<\/p>\n Meet the Expert: Padma Shenoy, M.D.<\/a>, a cardiolgoist with Manhattan Cardiology and LabFinder contributor.<\/p>\n \u201cIt appears that the new guidelines are focused on broader concepts of varied and healthful eating,\u201d explains Padma Shenoy, M.D.<\/a>, a cardiologist with Manhattan Cardiology and LabFinder contributor. In other words, the updated tips aim to be more sustainable for Americans to attain and follow. With that being said, it may seem like the guidelines are common knowledge, but they are also simple, actionable, and research-backed, which is key.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re all important because they work together to promote a healthy diet,\u201d says Dr. Shenoy, and, they support \u201coverall wellbeing in addition to cardiovascular health,\u201d she adds. Take note of all the new recommendations, and how to follow them, below.<\/p>\n 1. Balance diet and exercise to maintain a healthy weight<\/p>\n This means understanding roughly how many calories you intake and burn on a regular basis, and adjusting your lifestyle to stay within a desired weight range. The sweet spot is different for everyone depending on height, weight, health history, ability, and more, so it\u2019s something you can and should discuss with your doctor, who can help you find a diet and exercise routine<\/a> that is best for you.<\/p>\n In general, to maintain weight is to not consume more calories than you burn, and to lose weight takes a calorie deficit<\/a>. It\u2019s important to note, however, that this guideline does not encourage restrictive eating or short-term, extreme changes, but rather, it touts an adoption and understanding of long-term heart-healthy habits that can be helped by acknowledging your learned approach to diet and exercise. In fact, researchers noted that a heart-healthy lifestyle can and should start as early as age 1.<\/p>\n \u201cUltimately, understanding cultural factors, personal preferences, ethnic and religious practices, life stages, and socioeconomic contributors can assist in counseling and promoting the adoption of a heart-healthy dietary pattern that optimizes energy balance and promotes long-term adherence on an individual level,\u201d the researchers noted.<\/p>\n 2. Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables<\/p>\n This may seem like standard protocol, but it\u2019s worth emphasizing at a time when ultra-processed foods<\/a> are everywhere. Also, the variety part of this recommendation is key\u2014as fruits and vegetables contain different nutrients that can do different work for long-term health.<\/p>\n The guidelines also recommend prioritizing the produce in whole form, rather than in juice, to get their \u201cmuch-needed\u201d dietary fiber. It\u2019s understood that fresh produce isn\u2019t easily accessible nationwide, so frozen and canned options are recommended as a substitution, however, it\u2019s best that they not contain added sugars or sodium.<\/p>\n 3. Eat whole over refined grains<\/p>\n Whole grains, such as brown rice, contain all three components of the grain kernel\u2014the starchy endosperm, inner germ, and outer bran\u2014and provide \u201ca complex matrix of dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other bioactive compounds,\u201d according to the researchers\u2019 new guidelines. Other whole grains are whole wheat, oats, quinoa, barley, and rye. Eating these grains instead of, say, white bread or white rice, is associated with lower risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high blood sugar, per the research, all of which contribute to greater heart health.<\/p>\n 4. Choose healthy protein sources<\/p>\n What does this mean, exactly? It\u2019s a multi-layered answer that researchers outlined in detail. They recommend shifting from meat to plant-based proteins<\/a>, such as legumes (beans, peas, and lentils) and nuts, when possible, because people who lean more heavily on those sources have been found<\/a> to have fewer heart health complications. Researchers warn against prioritizing packaged plant proteins, as they can be heavily processed.<\/p>\n Additionally, researchers recommend regularly adding fish and seafood to your entrees, and opting for low-fat or fat-free dairy to manage calorie intake. If you go for red meat, it\u2019s recommended to choose lean cuts, avoid processed forms, and limit portion size.<\/p>\n 5. Replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats<\/p>\n In other words, replace unhealthy fats (like foods fried in butter or beef tallow) with healthy ones (like those from avocado, olive oil, or nuts). These choices can help control high cholesterol<\/a>, the dense substance that can build up in the arteries and prevent blood from circulating optimally, which then requires your heart to work harder than it needs to, potentially leading to heart disease and cardiovascular events.<\/p>\n 6. Choose minimally processed instead of ultra-processed foods<\/p>\n Processed foods, also known as packaged foods, have improved food access by extending its shelf-life and reducing its costs. However, ultra-processed foods, or those that are made mostly or entirely from substances extracted from foods (such as oils, fats, sugar, starch, and protein isolates) or synthesized in laboratories, per the the Nova classification system<\/a>, are becoming more and more of a staple in the American diet (over 73% of it, per past research<\/a>) and the health consequences are looming\u2014in the heart health category and others.<\/p>\n These types of foods, such as chips, packaged baked goods, cereals, and soft drinks often include high levels of sodium, added sugars, and ingredients not normally present in whole foods. They also tend to remove healthful components such as fiber and other nutrients, researchers noted. Whole foods like the aforementioned fruits and vegetables are necessary for heart health because they not only fuel the body in the ways it needs, but they also provide protective antioxidants that fight off inflammation<\/a>, a known marker of heart disease.<\/p>\n 7. Limit added sugars<\/p>\n Added sugars are those added to food and drinks during processing. Those include brown sugar, cane sugar, confectioner\u2019s sugar, coconut sugar, invert sugar, raw sugar, white granulated sugar, corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, rice syrup, malt syrup, maple syrup, pancake syrup, fruit juice concentrates, nectar, concentrated vegetable juices, honey, molasses, dextrose, fructose, glucose, maltose, lactose, and agave nectar, researchers noted.<\/p>\n Excess intake of added sugar in any of those forms is associated with higher heart disease risk. According to the AHA<\/a>, men should consume no more than 9 teaspoons (36 grams or 150 calories) of added sugar per day, and women should consume no more than 6 teaspoons (25 grams or 100 calories) per day.<\/p>\n 8. Aim for low-sodium meals and skip the extra salt<\/p>\n