Diabetes- versus smoking-related thrombo-inflammation in peripheral artery disease - Cardiovascular Diabetology
Best Diets For Heart Health In 2024, According To Experts
Nutrition is the heartbeat of cardiovascular health, as healthy dietary patterns are a proven and effective way to shield against cardiovascular disease . And seeing as cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in Western countries, it's never been more critical .
Research links diets high in sodium, processed foods, added sugars and unhealthy fats—and low in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fiber, legumes, and fish and nuts—with a higher probability of developing cardiovascular disease . What's more, cardiovascular disease tends to coincide with other diseases like obesity, diabetes and hypertension, making a heart-healthy diet incredibly important.
But with "heart health" being a pretty broad term, determining the right nutrition plan for you can be a little more challenging than you'd expect.
"It sort of depends on the heart problem," says Micah Eimer, M.D., a cardiologist at Northwestern Medicine in Lake Forest, Illinois and a Forbes Health Advisory Board member. "For example, patients who are prone to retaining fluid or have elevated blood pressure must limit their intake of sodium."
"[But] patients who have lots of blockages in arteries but are less troubled with blood pressure would be best served to focus on the limitation of saturated fats and increases in dietary fiber," he adds, illustrating how different cardiovascular issues might require different dietary guidelines.
Be sure to ask your doctor for a referral to a registered dietitian, who can help you figure out a dietary plan that will work best for you and your needs.
Dr Michael Mosley Recommends One Food To Reduce Heart Disease Risk - It May Surprise You
Dark chocolate: 2018 study reveals the health benefitsHeart health is a huge issue in the UK, with cardiovascular disease accounting for around a quarter of all deaths every year. This includes conditions and diseases such as coronary heart disease, heart failure and strokes.
And according to data from the British Heart Foundation, more than seven million people in the UK are currently living with cardiovascular disease. Worryingly these numbers are expected to rise.
As is the case with many health conditions, diet plays a huge role in your heart health. Foods high in saturated fat in particular are known to significantly increase your risk of a cardiovascular problem.
Other foods are also known to lower the risk, with health bodies often recommending sticking to a balanced diet rich in healthy fats, fruits and vegetables.
However, there is another food that may seem surprising that could help improve your heart health. Nutrition and dieting expert Dr Michael Mosely recommended adding a little bit of dark chocolate daily for this very reason.
On an episode of his BBC podcast Just One Thing, Dr Mosley revealed that scientific research shows a small amount of dark chocolate every day could improve your cognition, memory and cardio-metabolic health.
This is especially beneficial if you replace other sugary foods in your regular diet with two squares of dark chocolate daily, he said.
It could have benefits for your heart, your metabolism, and your brain – from reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease and improving your levels of low-density lipoprotein ("bad" cholesterol), to boosting blood flow to the brain.
He explained: "Studies have revealed that the key element in cocoa seems to be a class of chemical compounds called flavonoids.
"They are present in many plant foods such as strawberries, tea, blueberries, apples and onions.
"But the bitter seeds of the cacao tree are one of the richest known sources of flavonoids.
"And luckily, you don't have to eat those bitter seeds to get the benefits. Just chocolate with high cocoa content.
"White chocolate doesn't have any cocoa particles, so eating that won't do anything. Milk chocolate does have some but not enough.
"But dark chocolate is full of the stuff and there are plenty of reasons for dark chocolate to be the one you choose."
But he warned against overindulging. He added: "In large amounts, chocolate can raise blood sugars and could lead to weight gain, both of which can increase – rather than reduce – your risk of cardiovascular disease, so it can negate the positive effects.
"The best thing to do is swap out your usual sugary snack for something much darker like this, so you get the benefits of both cutting down on fat and sugar, and the benefits of the flavonoid compounds – the double whammy effect."
In line with National Chocolate Cake day on January 27 he also shared his wife's (Dr Clare Bailey) chocolate peanut butter cookie recipe to allow people to enjoy a healthy chocolate treat.
"The trick when it comes to reducing sugar spikes is to eat treats and desserts at the end of a savoury meal, rather than on an empty stomach," he wrote in an Instagram post.
This recipe includes a mashed banana, two tablespoons of peanut butter and two tablespoons of cocoa powder.
It can be found in Dr Bailey's book The Fast 800 Keto Recipe Book.
Repeated spikes in your blood sugar can cause heart problems, kidney problems, problems with eyesight, and nerve issues like neuropathy, where you lose feeling in fingers and toes.
Fatty Liver Diet Tips: A Guide To The Best And Worst Foods To Eat
It's possible to reverse or prevent fatty liver disease through lifestyle changes. Healthy eating, alongside the introduction of regular physical activity, is key, as is weight loss among those who have overweight or obesity, according to Norah Terrault, M.D., the chief of gastroenterology and hepatology at Keck Medical Center of USC and the president of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.
Evidence shows that healthy eating plans like the Mediterranean diet—a largely plant-based diet that incorporates healthy fats—can have a positive effect on fatty liver disease, though research hasn't identified one particular diet proven to be the most effective . Alongside the Mediterranean diet, other diet plans that a doctor, nutritionist or dietitian may recommend include a low-glycemic diet, a low-carb diet or a pre-diabetes diet, says Somaya Albhaisi, assistant professor of medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University with a research focus on liver disease, particularly MASLD.
In many individuals with MASLD, "we want to move toward less calories, and that could be a carbohydrate-restricted diet or a fat-restricted diet," says Dr. Terrault, explaining that the overall goal is generally "achieving weight loss through calorie restriction."
Here's a closer look at some of the types of foods that individuals with fatty liver disease may consider incorporating in their diet.
Low-Glycemic Index FoodsThe glycemic index is a rating system that compares foods containing carbohydrates. The index is designed to show how quickly certain carb-containing foods affect blood sugar when eaten alone.
Consuming "more low-glycemic index foods," such as whole grains, fruits and veggies will affect blood glucose levels "less than high-glycemic index foods, such as white bread, white rice and potatoes," explains Dr. Albhaisi.
Not only do high blood sugar levels contribute to negative health effects such as heart disease and the development of diabetes, foods like white rice or white pasta, which are simple rather than complex carbohydrates, lack nutritional value and can lead to weight gain and fatty liver disease.
Healthy FatsThe Mediterranean-style diet, which can decrease liver fat, thus aiding in the prevention and potential reversal of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, is high in healthy fats. This includes omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in salmon, sardines, walnuts and flaxseed oil, and monounsaturated fats, which are found in avocados and olive oil.
Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fat known as an essential fatty acid, and consuming them also can help decrease the chance of developing heart disease, including among those who have fatty liver disease. Meanwhile, monounsaturated fats are a type of healthy fat that's found in plant foods, and they can help lower levels of LDL cholesterol.
CoffeeBlack coffee is good for the liver, according to Dr. Terrault. "Black coffee has been shown to be beneficial to the liver, in the sense that it improves liver tests and is associated with lower rates of cirrhosis and liver cancer," says Dr. Terrault.
Further, studies show that regular coffee consumption is associated with a reduced risk of developing fatty liver disease .
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