5 Best Diets to Maintain Heart Health
5 Best Diets to Maintain Heart Health
The Mediterranean Diet
As the name clarifies, the Mediterranean diet is based on the traditional foods of some of the Mediterranean countries, mostly those bordering this region. These include France, Spain, Greece and Italy. The main emphasis of the diet is on natural, whole, minimally refined and unprocessed food which include the following:- Whole Grains
- Nuts and Seeds
- Fruits and Vegetables
- Legumes
- Fish
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Poultry
- Eggs
- Low fat dairy
- Red wine
- Additional Sugar
- Refined Carbs
- Processed Food and Snacks
- Red and Processed Meats
The DASH Diet
The DASH diet, aka, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension was designed to prevent hypertension or high blood pressure. And while it helps keep your BP in check, it inadvertently reduces the risk of heart diseases. This diet is more focussed on the consumption of potassium, calcium and magnesium rich foods. These nutrients are essential to keep your blood pressure in control. Most of these foods have low sodium, minimal saturated fats or added sugars.- The diet focuses on,
- Whole Grains
- Fruits and Vegetables
- Low Fat Dairy
- Lean Meats
- Red Meats
- Refined Grains
- Added Sugars
- 6 to 8 servings of grains
- 4 to 5 servings of fruits
- 4 to 5 servings of vegetables
- 2 to 3 servings of low fat dairy
- 6 (1 ounce) servings of lean meat
- 4-5 servings of nuts, seeds and legumes – in a week
- 2 to 3 servings of fats and oils
- 5 servings of sweets or added sugar – in a week
Vegan and Vegetarian Diets
Unlike the previous two diets that we’ve mentioned, a vegan or vegetarian diet eliminates all or most animal products from your diet. These diets completely eliminate all meat products that include poultry, red meat, fish etc. Vegetarian diets however include most dairy products. Vegan diets, however, include no animal products, whatsoever. Instead, these diets put emphasis on the following:- Fruits and Vegetables
- Beans
- Lentils
- Tofu
- Soy Products
- Whole Grains
- Nuts and Seeds
- Plant Based Oils and Seeds
The Flexitarian Diet
Another diet that isn’t too restrictive, the flexitarian diet promotes a more balanced diet with both plant based and animal based products. However, it is preferred that a major part of your protein intake is from plant sources. This one is a more realistic and therefore easily followable diet as compared to vegetarian or vegan diets that cut down all animal products from your diet. Similar to other dietary patterns, the focus is on whole, plant based and minimally processed foods. The diet requires you to:- Consume more fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains.
- Get most of your protein from plant sources as opposed to animals.
- Consume less of animal products like dairy and meat but not still incorporate them in the diet every now and then
- Cut down on processed and refined foods and depend more on natural foods
- Limit consumption of sweets and added sugar
The TLC Diet
Promoting better health always begins with changes you make in your lifestyle. This includes both, the kind of foods you incorporate in your diet and the kinds you eliminate. The TLC Diet, otherwise called the Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes diet, has been designed to promote heart health and reduce cholesterol levels. Not only this, but the diet also emphasizes the importance of exercise along with nutrition as the right way to prevent diseases. Along with these benefits, the diet also works as a catalyst of healthy weight loss. Similar to most other balanced diet plans, this one too includes some of the staples like:- Vegetables and Fruits – Broccoli, Brussel sprouts, carrots, berries, apples & bananas
- Whole Grains – Whole Grain Bread, Pasta, Oatmeal, Rice, Quinoa & Barley
- Legumes – Kidney Beans, Black Beans, Lentils & Peas
- Nuts and Seeds – Almonds, Walnuts, Cashews, & Macadamia Nuts
- Some Vegetable Oils and Margarines – Olive Oil, Canola Oil, Sunflower Oil, & Margarine with plant sterols
- Low Fat Dairy Products – Milk, Yogurt & Cottage Cheese
- Lean Cuts of Skinless Meat – Chicken, Turkey, Lean Ground Beef, Salmon & Tuna
- Processed Meats
- Fatty Cuts of Meat
- Fried and Processed Food
- Egg Yolks
- Full-Fat Dairy Products
- Excess Salt and Sugar
- Large Amounts of Alcohol