If the adage is true that you are what you eat, it means every meal is an opportunity to support your health. Decades of scientific research on the connection between diet and heart health certainly makes this apparent. A diet rich in heart-healthy foods includes vegetables, fruit, legumes, whole grains and lean proteins. Additionally, eating in a way the promotes heart health means minimizing ultra-processed foods and sugar-sweetened beverages, as this has repeatedly been found to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Dr. Megan Kamath, MD, a cardiologist at UCLA Health, sees first-hand what happens when one’s default is eating a diet consisting primarily of ultra-processed foods, fatty meat and sugary drinks and living a sedentary lifestyle. The leading cause of death in the U.S. is cardiovascular disease , a health condition that is largely preventable through diet and lifestyle habits.
This is not to shame anyone who has cardiovascular disease or is at increased risk for getting it. Not everyone in the U.S. has access to healthy foods and if you are working long hours, it can be difficult to find time to cook healthy meals and be active—especially if you are also caring for children or aging parents.
Others may not know what eating heart-healthy meals looks like. It’s certainly easier to stick to the same meals on repeat than to find new ones to make. To serve as some inspiration, here Dr. Kamath shares what an average day of eating looks like for her as someone who prioritizes heart health.
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The Eating Plan a Cardiologist Follows
“As an advanced heart failure and transplant cardiologist who also has interests in the cardio-oncology and women's cardiovascular health realms, I emphasize eating a heart-healthy diet that is mostly plant-based to reduce intake of cholesterol and saturated fats,” Dr. Kamath says.
Scientific research confirms the connection between eating primarily plant-based and a reduced risk of heart disease. Foods like vegetables, fruit, legumes, and lentils are full of antioxidants (which reduce inflammation in the body, helping to protect against diseases) as well as fiber. This is noteworthy because a high-fiber diet is good for your heart. In fact, adding six grams of fiber a day to your diet reduces the risk of dying from heart disease by 25% . Nuts and seeds, two other plant-based foods, are beneficial for heart health because they’re rich in omega-3 fatty acids , a type of fat that reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.
While Dr. Kamath says that she bases her meals around plant-based protein sources, whole grains, vegetables and fruit, it isn’t necessary to take meat completely off the table. Both the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet —two heart-healthy eating plans—include fish and lean poultry. When it comes to meat and heart health, what’s most important is to minimize meat high in saturated fat and sodium , like bacon, sausage and deli meat.
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What a Day of Eating Looks Like for a Cardiologist Prioritizing Heart Health
Maybe you know the general principles of what it means to eat with heart health in mind; you’ve heard of the Mediterranean diet and you know eating mostly plants is beneficial, but you don’t know how to put it into practice. Here’s what it looks like for Dr. Kamath.
Breakfast
“For breakfast, I often either have cottage cheese or Greek yogurt with berries and a drizzle of honey or oatmeal with slivered almonds and peaches,” Dr. Kamath says. Cottage cheese and Greek yogurt are both higher in protein than other types of yogurt, which is important for both energy and satiety. A cup of cottage cheese has 24 grams of protein while a serving of Greek yogurt has about 20 grams.
Adding fruit and nuts to her cottage cheese or Greek yogurt ups the fiber in her breakfast. Berries are especially beneficial for heart health because they’re high in antioxidants. As previously mentioned, nuts have omega-3 fatty acids that support heart health.
Oatmeal, Dr. Kamath’s other breakfast of choice, supports heart health because it’s high in a type of soluble fiber called beta-glucan, which lowers LDL cholesterol levels. It also has protein and won’t spike blood sugar levels.
Related: These Are the Top 5 Healthiest Breakfasts You Can Eat, According to Registered Dietitians
Lunch
Dr. Kamath says that a typical lunch for her is chickpea pasta with pesto and veggies. Scientific research has shown that eating chickpeas regularly can help protect against obesity and can keep blood sugar levels steady, both of which can help lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. They pack plenty of protein too. One cup has more than 14 grams.
Adding veggies to her chickpea pasta ups the fiber in her meal. Even the pesto has heart-healthy benefits due to the antioxidants in the herbs as well as the omega-3 fatty acids in the olive oil used to make it.
Dinner
One of Dr. Kamath’s go-to dinners is sweet potato and black bean burgers with tomatoes, cucumbers and avocado mash. Once again, it’s plants for the win! Every single ingredient in her dinner is full of fiber. The back beans are especially good for cardiovascular health because in addition to fiber, they contain folate and vitamin B6, which both support heart health.
In addition to being mindful of what’s on her plate, Dr. Kamath says she makes her drink choices with heart health in mind too. “I focus on having water as my main source of hydration,” she says. Considering all the beverages sugar can pop up in (sodas, juice, flavored coffee drinks…), it makes sense that water should be the go-to drink of choice for heart health.
Dr. Kamath says what she eats directly plays a role in her ability to maintain healthy cholesterol numbers. “Incorporating a focus on healthy eating is key to maintaining healthy cholesterol numbers because dietary and lifestyle changes go hand in hand in overall cardiovascular health,” she says.
You don’t have to eat exactly like Dr. Kamath to support your heart. No matter what your cultural background, you can enjoy the meals you love in a heart-healthy way. This is when having hearty-healthy cookbooks, recipe apps or being part of healthy eating Facebook groups where people share recipes can come in handy. Finding new, healthy ways to cook the meals you love is part of the fun! If budget has been a barrier when it comes to eating healthy, websites like Budget Bytes and cookbooks like 5-Ingredient Mediterranean Diet Cookbook for Beginners: 1,000 Days of Healthy and Budget-Friendly Recipes in 30 Minutes can be helpful.
Putting the effort into eating nutrient-rich, heart-healthy meals can literally add years to your life. Don’t underestimate the power you have over your health!
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