Heart-Healthy Diet Plan

Introduction

One is what they eat! There is some truth to this well-known rule because diet has various effects on health. A balanced diet positively impacts almost every bodily function. Therefore, keeping your heart healthy is similar to investing in a long, healthy future. In addition to lowering your risk of unexpected heart attacks and strokes, a healthy heart shields you against a variety of degenerative illnesses.

The risk of heart disease can be raised by diets heavy in sugar, unhealthy fats, and ultra-processed foods. You can improve your heart health even if you already have heart disease by making dietary changes.

One-third of deaths worldwide are due to heart disease, and research indicates that diet may be the most effective way to prevent these deaths. Maintaining a heart-healthy diet can help lower your risk of heart disease and even death from heart disease.

Lean protein, including plant-based proteins, whole grains, heart-healthy fats, and a variety of herbs and spices, will all be present, along with a lot of fruits and vegetables to enhance flavor without adding too much salt.

A healthy diet is essential for heart health. It is commonly known that the foods you eat on a daily basis can have a big impact on how well your heart and blood vessels carry out their basic functions.

Your heart health is influenced by a variety of factors, including your diet and exercise routine. Another name for heart health is coronary health. When blood fat (lipid) levels are abnormal, coronary risk increases.

Foods and Heart Health Care

Diet and health are directly related. Every nutrient and food group is included in a balanced diet.

The best and most dependable diet for heart health is a balanced one. In addition, 10–13% should come from healthy protein sources, with the remaining portion coming from healthy fats. Here’s a plan for it:

• Create a combined flour using whole grains and millets, which are complex sources of carbohydrates. When making roti, bread, and other dishes, use this flour rather than refined flour.
• Eat healthy fats, such as those found in nuts, oilseeds, fatty fish, etc.
• Getting enough vitamins and minerals from colorful fruits and vegetables is important. You will also receive a respectable quantity of fiber.

Food Groups to Support Heart Health

Complex Carbohydrates

Their high fiber content promotes early satiety. It is advantageous because they contain a lot of antioxidants, such as vitamins, minerals, phytoestrogens, and phenolic acids. Consequently, it contributes to better heart health.

1. Lean Meat, Eggs, and Pulses

The body gets the essential amino acids it needs from these foods, which are high in protein. They support the maintenance of heart health by keeping the heart muscles in good condition.

2. Fruits

An essential component of a well-balanced meal is fruit. In addition to their many health advantages, several fruits are high in antioxidants. These antioxidants lessen inflammation, which in turn lessens the development of plaque in the arteries. Fruits, therefore, contribute to better heart health. Berries, citrus fruits, bananas, apples, papayas, melons, and so on are some of the best fruits to think about.

3. Vegetables

Antioxidants are high in vegetables as well. On the other hand, some vegetables are rich in vitamins and minerals in addition to antioxidants. Fiber ensures normal blood pressure, which supports heart health. Roots, tubers, mushrooms, gourds, onions, tomatoes, and bell peppers are a few examples.

4. Low-Fat Dairy

Maintaining the body’s physiological processes depends heavily on calcium. For instance, it makes it easier for reactions to support the health of your heart and body.

5. Nuts and Oilseeds

Omega-3 and omega-6 good fats are rich in nuts and oilseeds. Polyunsaturated fats like omega-3 and omega-6 aid in reducing heart inflammation. These good fats also shield the body’s important organs, including the heart. Examples include sunflower seeds, cashews, walnuts, almonds, flax seeds, and so on.

Heart-Healthy Diet Plan: Foods to Eat

Quinoa (Complex Carbohydrate)

Research indicates that quinoa has a beneficial effect on heart disease prevention. Quinoa’s antioxidants help lower inflammation and stop artery-clogging plaque. It thus aids in heart protection. Moreover, magnesium, which dilates arteries, avoids blockages, and supports heart health, is another ingredient in quinoa.

Nutritional Value

• Energy: 368 kcal
• Protein: 14.1g
• Fat: 6.07g
• Carbohydrate: 64.2 g
• Calcium: 47 mg
• Magnesium: 197 mg
• Fibre: 7 g
• Phosphorus: 457 mg
• Potassium: 563 mg
• Iron: 4.7 mg

Best ways to Consume Quinoa

• Quinoa can be boiled and then mixed with milk to be eaten as a cereal for breakfast.
• Consume it as a salty snack.
• It can be mashed and combined with your preferred fruits to make a pancake.

Ragi (Complex Carbohydrate)

The pink millet, ragi, has numerous health advantages. The fiber content lowers bad cholesterol, or LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein), and raises HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein), or good cholesterol. It also stops plaque from forming and heart blockage.

Nutritional Value

Ragi, weighing 100 grams, contains:

• Energy: 378 kcal
• Protein: 11g
• Fat: 4.22g
• Carbohydrate: 72.8 g
• Calcium: 8 mg
• Magnesium: 114 mg
• Fibre: 8.5 g
• Phosphorus: 285 mg
• Potassium: 195 mg
• Iron: 3.01 mg

Best ways to consume Ragi

• It can be used to make tasty pancakes.
• Incorporate it into the batter to make healthy chocolate cupcakes rather than using refined flour.
• Additionally, you can use ragi to make bread, roti, uttapam, millet dosa, and more.

Kidney Beans: Heart-Healthy Legumes

Consuming kidney beans regularly lowers the risk of cardiovascular diseases because of their hypocholesterolemic characteristics.

Regular consumption of kidney beans has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol, which benefits heart health in general. Additionally, kidney beans promote heart health because they are low in saturated fat and high in protein. Additionally, the potassium in kidney beans helps to improve heart health by encouraging improved heart muscle function.

Nutritional Value

Kidney beans, weighing 100 grams, contain:

• Energy: 127 kcals
• Protein: 7.7 g
• Carbohydrates: 20.2 g
• Starch: 2.0 g
• Sugars: 0.26 g
• Fats: 0.45 g
• Fibre: 5.7 g

Best ways to Consume Kidney Beans

• They can be eaten as a support to multigrain roti or brown rice.
• It can also be added to salads that contain cucumber, lemon, tomatoes, and other vegetables.
• Prepare a dip and serve it with baked ragi chips for consumption.

Chickpeas: The Heart-Shaped Legumes

After being immersed, chickpeas, a beige legume, take the shape of a heart. These nutrients all aid in heart health maintenance and the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

Nutritional Value

• Energy: 164kCal
• Protein: 8.86 g
• Fat: 7.6 g
• Carbohydrate: 27.4 g
• Calcium: 49 mg
• Magnesium: 48 mg
• Fibre: 7.6 g
• Phosphorus: 168 mg
• Potassium: 291 mg
• Iron: 2.89 mg

Best ways to Consume Chickpeas

• Serve chickpeas with brown rice or multigrain roti as a dry side dish or in a curry.
• You can make a salad with lemon, cucumber, tomato, and so forth.
• As a dip or hummus

Sweet Potato: A Heart-Healthy Tuber

Sweet potatoes’ antioxidants aid in lowering long-term inflammation. Numerous illnesses, including diabetes and heart disease, are caused by inflammation. Sweet potatoes help prevent cardiovascular diseases because they are among the best foods for reducing inflammation.

Sweet potatoes have been shown in numerous studies to help lower inflammation. They therefore reduce irritable bowel syndrome, cardiovascular disorders, etc. Sweet potatoes also reduce the release of immune system components that cause inflammation.

Nutritional Value

Sweet potatoes, balancing one hundred grams, contain:

• Calories: 116kCals
• Protein: 1.49g
• Fats: 0.14g
• Carbohydrates: 27.5g
• Fibre: 3.9g
• Calcium: 14mg
• Iron: 0.52mg
• Magnesium: 18mg

Best ways to Consume Sweet Potatoes

• It can be eaten alongside your steak.
• Combine vegetables and sprouts to make a salad.
• It can be used as a soup.

Carrot: The Fibre-Rich Veggie

Carotenoids, the orange-colored fiber found in carrots, are an active component. This is due to the antioxidants’ ability to lower inflammation and support heart health.

Nutritional Value

Carrots weighing 100 grams contain:

• Energy: 41 kcal
• Protein: 0.93g
• Fat: 0.24 g
• Carbohydrate: 9.58 g
• Calcium: 33 mg
• Magnesium: 12 mg
• Fibre: 2.8 g
• Phosphorus: 35 mg
• Potassium: 320 mg

Best Ways to Consume Carrots

• Put it in your soup as an ingredient.
• It can be added to dips to give them a tasty and nutritious twist.

Strawberry: The Delicious Fruit

In addition to being nourishing and healthful, it tastes great to your taste buds. When it comes to combating inflammation, these two elements work well together. They also lessen the likelihood of cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, and plaque formation.

Nutritional Value

Strawberries weighing 100 grams contain:

• Energy: 32 kcal
• Protein: 0.7g
• Fat: 0.3 g
• Carbohydrate: 7.68 g
• Calcium: 16 mg
• Magnesium: 13 mg
• Fibre: 2 g
• Phosphorus: 24 mg
• Potassium: 153 mg
• Vitamin C: 58.8 mg

Best Ways to Consume Strawberries

• Include it in your smoothie.
• You can use it to make ice cream or mix it into your own.
• You can eat them uncooked.

Orange: The Hydrating Heart-Healthy Fruit

Heart health is maintained by these three essential nutrients. Oranges also dramatically reduce inflammation, which shields the body and heart from a variety of illnesses.

Nutritional Value

Oranges, considering 100 grams contain:

• Energy: 52 kcal
• Protein: 0.91 g
• Fat: 0.15g
• Carbohydrate: 11.8g
• Calcium: 43mg
• Magnesium: 10.7mg
• Fibre: 2g
• Phosphorus: 23mg
• Potassium: 166mg
• Vitamin C: 59.1mg

Best Ways to Consume Oranges

• Consume it raw in fruit salads.
• Orange can be added in place of sugar to fruit kheer, a dish made with milk and semolina cooked together.

Pumpkin: The Potassium-Rich Veggie

Vegetables like pumpkin are popular. Because of its high potassium content, plaque in the arteries is avoided. Research also shows that dietary potassium intake may have a new causal role in controlling vascular stiffness and calcification, as well as a mechanism that has been discovered that may be used therapeutically to control vascular disease. Additionally, pumpkin has a lot of antioxidants that lower inflammation and improve heart health.

Nutritional Value

• Energy: 26 kcal
• Protein: 1 g
• Fat: 0.1 g
• Carbohydrate: 6.5 g
• Calcium: 21 mg
• Magnesium: 12 mg
• Fibre: 0.5 g
• Phosphorus: 44 mg
• Potassium: 340 mg
• Vitamin C: 9 mg

Best Ways to Consume Pumpkin

• As a sabzi with roast or grilled meat, or Jowar Roti
• Make a soup.
• With additional vegetables and seasonings, as a salad

Tomato

A tomato’s water content is about 95%. Due to their high potassium content, tomatoes are good for your blood pressure. A high potassium intake helps the kidneys eliminate extra sodium from the body and reduces its levels. Potassium’s effects on the arteries also make it advantageous. By widening the arteries and relieving the blood vessel walls of accumulated and elevated stress, it lowers blood pressure even more.

According to a study, consuming more potassium and less sodium lowers the risk of dying from heart problems by 20%. Tomatoes are also good for your heart because they are high in fiber, potassium, vitamin C, and choline. Furthermore, because they contain antioxidants like lutein, beta-carotene, lycopene, flavonoids, and others, tomatoes are well known for their antioxidant qualities.

Nutritional Value

Tomatoes measuring 100 grams contain:

• Calories: 18 kCal
• Water: 95%
• Protein: 0.9 grams
• Carbs: 3.9 grams
• Sugar: 2.6 grams
• Fibre: 1.2 grams
• Fat: 0.2 grams

Best ways to Consume Tomatoes

• There are also nutritious ways to eat tomatoes, such as in soups, chutneys, or sabzi.
• To add flavor to other dishes, use them as a dip.

Walnuts

Polyunsaturated fats and protein are found in walnuts. Consequently, walnuts are incredibly nutrient-dense for heart health, lowering cholesterol, regulating blood pressure, and lowering the risk of heart disease.

Nutritional Value

A serving of walnuts (30 g) includes:

• Calories: 185kCal
• Fat: 18.5g
• Protein: 4g
• Carbs: 4g
• Fibre: 2g
• Copper: 50% of the DV

Best ways to Consume Walnuts

• For crunch, add to your cereal in the morning.
• Eat some of it as a snack.
• Nut lovers will love it as a tasty addition to smoothies.

Flaxseeds

The hemp plant produces flax seeds. The current flaxseed craze has the health community in a frenzy. Furthermore, flaxseeds are heart-healthy because they contain antioxidants. Along with raising good cholesterol, they also decrease bad cholesterol. Because of all these qualities, flaxseeds are beneficial to heart health.

Nutritional Value

• Energy: 534 kcal
• Protein: 18.3g
• Fat: 42.2 g
• Carbohydrate: 28.9 g
• Calcium: 255 mg
• Magnesium: 392 mg
• Fibre: 27.3 g
• Phosphorus: 642 mg
• Potassium: 813 mg
• Iron: 5.73 mg

Best Ways to Consume Flaxseeds

• It can add crunch to your breakfast cereal in a healthy way.
• You can incorporate it into your salad bowls, smoothies, and buttermilk.
• To give your dips a nutritious twist, add it.

Foods to Avoid

Salt

While a small amount of salt is acceptable when cooking, table salt should be avoided completely. Additionally, avoid eating snacks, biscuits, and salted nuts because they contain a lot of salt sprinkled on top.

Caffeine

Moreover, adrenaline inhibits the antidiuretic hormone. As a result, the blood vessels become narrower, which damages the heart and raises blood pressure.

Alcohol

Calcium binds to blood vessels when alcohol is consumed. It becomes difficult for blood to flow through blood vessels when calcium binds to them. For this reason, it raises blood pressure and damages the heart.

Junk and Fast Foods

Because they contain a lot of saturated fat, these foods raise cholesterol levels. It then hurts the heart. You should therefore stay away from these foods. Pizza, burgers, and other foods are also high in sodium, which makes them even worse for your heart.

A Few More Tips to Maintain Heart Health

• Try to get six to eight hours of sound, deep sleep.
• Engage in physical activity five days a week. Get in 150 minutes of exercise per week, or 30 minutes per day.
• Maintain a nutritious diet and eat at the designated times.
• Make sure that every food group is present in your diet.

The 5 Best Diets for Heart Health

Maintaining a healthy diet, quitting smoking, and engaging in regular exercise are some of the best ways to protect your heart.

While a high intake of processed meats and added sugar is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, diets rich in fiber, healthy fats, and antioxidants have been demonstrated to support heart health.

While many diets make claims about helping heart health, it’s crucial to pick one that is supported by research and simple to stick to over the long run.

These are the top 5 heart-healthy diets.

1. The Mediterranean diet

People in Greece and Southern Italy in the 1960s followed traditional eating habits that served as the foundation for the Mediterranean diet.

Red and processed meats, highly processed snacks, refined carbohydrates, and added sugars are also reduced or eliminated.

For example, monounsaturated fats and compounds with potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties are rich in extra virgin olive oil.

The positive effects of the diet can also be credited to other factors, such as exercising and consuming fewer added sugars.

2. The DASH Diet

A strict list of foods cannot be followed by the DASH diet, just like the Mediterranean diet.

Instead, it suggests consuming certain amounts of food groups according to your caloric requirements, emphasizing fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, and low-fat dairy products while limiting red meat, refined grains, and added sugars.

Reducing sodium consumption has been demonstrated to dramatically lower blood pressure in people with high blood pressure, particularly when paired with the DASH diet.

However, studies indicate that among those with normal blood pressure, this effect is less pronounced.

The diet may also have heart-healthy benefits because it emphasizes foods high in fiber, like whole grains and vegetables, and avoids added sugars and saturated fats.

3. Vegan and vegetarian diets

Vegans avoid all animal-derived foods, such as dairy, eggs, honey, gelatin, and bee pollen, while some vegetarians eat these and other animal products.

Vegan and vegetarian diets have various health advantages because of their high plant-based content. These diets, for instance, are frequently rich in fiber, anti-inflammatory substances, and antioxidants—all of which are beneficial to heart health.

The quality of diet is still important, of course. The advantages of a vegan or vegetarian diet that emphasizes whole, minimally processed plant foods exceed those of a diet heavy in highly processed foods, refined grains, and added sugars.

4. The Flexitarian Diet

The Flexitarian Diet was developed by dietitian Dawn Jackson Blatner and is a plant-based eating plan that permits moderate amounts of dairy, fish, meat, and other animal products.

Eat a lot of whole, minimally processed foods and limit or stay away from processed meats, refined grains, added sugars, and other highly processed foods.

Research on plant-based diets is difficult because of the variation allowed, but higher adherence to these diets is linked to a lower risk of heart disease.

Compared to a strict vegetarian or vegan diet, the flexitarian diet may be a more sensible option for those who want to enjoy the heart-healthy advantages of a plant-based diet without being forced to give up animal products like meat.

5. The TLC diet

It offers dietary and lifestyle suggestions to support a healthy weight and ideal cholesterol levels, including:

• Under 7% of your daily caloric intake comes from saturated fat.
• Under 2,300 mg of sodium per day
• Total fat, including calories from saturated fat, accounts for 25–35% of daily caloric intake.
• 10–25 g of soluble fiber each day

Increasing your consumption of soluble fiber, which is present in foods like oat bran, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, and a variety of fruits and vegetables, is the theory behind the diet.

Additionally, the TLC diet suggests consuming plant stanols, also known as sterols, daily.

One last advantage of the TLC diet is that it encourages moderate exercise for at least half an hour each day.

The potential effects of diet on heart health

Every part of your body, including your heart, is impacted by the food you eat.

After all, food supplies the protein, carbs, fats, vitamins, and minerals your body needs to operate at its best.

Diet is a modifiable factor because, in contrast to other risk factors like age or genetics, it is something you can alter.

In particular, diet can lower the risk factors for heart disease listed below:

Blood pressure: This can cause artery narrowing and blood vessel damage, which puts more strain on your heart. This may result in an enlarged heart and raise the chance of heart failure. A diet rich in nutrient-dense foods like vegetables, nuts, olive oil, and fish and low in calories, sugar, and salt has been associated with a 44% lower risk of high blood pressure, according to research.

Blood fat: Increased blood lipid levels, such as triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad”) cholesterol, can cause atherosclerosis and raise your risk of heart disease.

Blood sugar and insulin: Insulin resistance and high blood sugar can cause oxidative stress and the buildup of substances known as advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), which can harm the heart’s ability to pump blood. This can result in diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD), which are more likely to occur if you consume a diet high in added sugar and highly processed foods.

Body weight: Western diets heavy in calorie-dense foods can cause diabetes, high blood pressure, lipids, fibrosis, and weight gain. Because of this, obesity raises the risk of heart disease, but excess belly fat is also a risk factor.

Consult a physician about heart-healthy practices.

While eating a balanced diet is important for heart health, there are other ways to protect your ticker, like:

• Regular exercise
• Lowering the level of stress
• Keeping alcohol intake to a minimum
• Avoiding smoking
• Discuss how to adopt a more heart-healthy lifestyle with a medical professional or a registered dietitian.

The healthier lifestyle choices you make, the more you can help your heart beat more powerfully and more efficiently.

Diet meal plan

The following meal plan can be used to begin the cardiac diet:

Breakfast: To the overnight oats, add the blueberries and flaked almonds. Serve with a fat-free yogurt.
Lunch: A salmon and avocado salad with greens, peppers, red onion, tomatoes, cucumbers, and lemon juice is worth trying.
Dinner: Prepare a vegetarian bean chili.
Snack options: Choose between a boiled egg and a spoonful of guacamole, apple slices and a spoonful of nut butter, or hummus and carrot sticks.

Additional Methods for Improving Heart Health:

Exercise: Engaging in physical activity is an excellent method to lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and heart risk. According to the American Heart Association, adults should engage in moderate-intensity physical activity for at least 150 minutes each week, such as a brisk walk, water aerobics, biking, or tennis.

Eat More Plants: Because of their high potassium and fiber content, eating more plants—such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes—can help protect the heart. A heart-healthy diet can include animal proteins, of course, but eating more plants will help keep your heart in top condition.

Cut Back on Sodium: The American Heart Association advises consuming less than 1,500 mg of sodium daily to maintain healthy blood pressure. We consume a lot of sodium from processed foods and restaurant food, but reducing the amount of salt we use can help. Examine the nutrition label and pay attention to the sodium level when choosing store-bought marinades and sauces. One of the best ways to lower sodium intake is to choose to cook more of your meals at home.

Switch Up Your Fats: Reduce your intake of foods that are high in saturated fat, which can raise LDL cholesterol. Instead, eat foods high in unsaturated fats, such as nuts, seeds, olive oil, salmon, and fish. To protect the heart, foods high in unsaturated fats can help raise HDL cholesterol and decrease LDL cholesterol.

Summary

Additionally, it transfers blood that has lost oxygen from the organs to the lungs. After leaving the lungs, it travels to the heart, which then pumps oxygen-rich blood once more. Your heart’s normal function can be hampered by unhealthy eating and lifestyle choices, which can result in several problems. For the heart and body to function at their best, a healthy diet and lifestyle are essential. You can alter things simply. For instance, consume complex carbohydrates rather than refined ones, walk briskly for 30 to 45 minutes, get enough sleep, and eat a balanced diet. When making major dietary and lifestyle changes, you should always get advice from your physician and a nutritionist. However, these changes are worthwhile if your doctor approves of them.

Numerous diets have been demonstrated to improve heart health. All of these eating patterns, despite their differences, place an emphasis on minimally processed natural foods and limit processed meals, especially those that are high in added sugar and saturated fat.

Regular exercise, quitting smoking, and finding strategies to lower stress levels are also important for heart health. Heart health can be supported by dietary patterns rich in fiber-rich plant foods like fruits and vegetables, fish, and healthy fats like olive oil, while diets heavy in ultra-processed foods and sugar addition have been connected to higher risk.

Whether you already have heart disease or are attempting to lower your chance of getting it in the future, a few easy dietary adjustments can have a significant impact on your heart health.

Adhering to the cardiac diet requires a process. A person may struggle to make more significant dietary changes if they are accustomed to regularly consuming processed foods and refined carbohydrates. It might help to try the above advice. The heart diet should include wholesome staple foods like whole grains, vegetables, legumes, and oily fish. Saturated fats, sugar, salt, and processed foods may be things that people want to limit.

Making a diet plan and paying attention to what they eat when they eat out can be beneficial. Regular exercise and stress reduction are also good for heart health.

FAQs

Reference

• Richards, L. (2023, October 26). What is the cardiac diet? https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/cardiac-diet
• Rd, E. L. M. (2025, February 19). 7-Day Heart-Healthy Meal Plan, created by a dietitian. EatingWell. https://www.eatingwell.com/article/289245/7-day-heart-healthy-meal-plan-1200-calories/
• Clinic, C. (2025, February 18). Heart-Healthy Diets: Eating plans your heart will love. Cleveland Clinic. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/heart-healthy-diet
• Rd, J. K. M. (2023, December 7). Foods, diets, and tips to follow for a healthy heart. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/a-heart-healthy-diet-food-lists-diet-tips-and-more
• Rd, K. M. M. (2025, January 17). The 5 best diets for heart Health. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/best-diet-for-heart-health
• Dube, P. (2024, April 15). Heart-Healthy Diet Plan: What should you eat – HealthifyMe blog. Healthifyme. https://www.healthifyme.com/blog/heart-healthy-diet-plan/