Heart-healthy foods you should switch to today​​

What is a heart-healthy diet?​

​​​​A heart-friendly diet is a diet that helps reduce the risk factors for heart disease. ​​​​​​​Ultimately​, a heart-friendly diet includes a wide variety and balance of fresh and unprocessed foods.​​​​​

Maintaining a heart-healthy diet means you’re filling your plate up with food that is low in unhealthy fats, salt and added sugars, and rich in wholegrains, fibre, vitamins and minerals, and healthy fats.​​​

What diet can't control?

Not every risk factor for heart disease can be addressed by diet. There are some factors outside of your control such as age, gender, ethnicity and family history of heart disease. There are also factors within your control that are not related to diet, including smoking and physical activity levels.

What heart disease risk factors can be addressed by a healthy diet?

​​​A number of risk factors can be addressed and maintained by what you eat.​​

1. Cholesterol levels

Only one type of cholesterol, ​low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, is a problem for heart health. ​​LDL cholesterol can cause plaque – a fatty build-up – to stick to the walls of your arteries, which can stop blood from flowing normally to your heart. You can reduce your LDL cholesterol by eating less food containing saturated fats and ​trans fats, and ​​more food containing ​​unsaturated fats​ ​like avocado and nuts such as almonds, cashews, peanuts, pine nuts, and walnuts.​​​

2. Blood pressure

High blood pressure is linked to an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. ​​From a dietary perspective, you can reduce your blood pressure by reducing your salt intake. The degree to which your salt intake correlates to your blood pressure depends on factors including your age, current blood pressure and body weight.

3. Body weight

Being overweight can lead to some of the other risk factors for heart disease, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes. ​​A heart-friendly diet for weight loss generally includes eating fewer processed foods and more wholefoods.

4. Diabetes management

​Diabetes can lead to an increased risk of stroke or heart disease. ​​If you have diabetes, eating a varied diet of healthy foods helps reduce your risk of heart disease​.

What are the best foods to eat for a healthy heart?

Fruits and vegetables

​The Heart Foundation recommends you eat lots of fruits and vegetables in a wide variety of colours​; ​​​e​​ach colour provides different essential vitamins, minerals and phyto-chemicals – a chemical produced by plants that strengthen the plant’s immunity.​​​​​​​​ ​​​

Healthy fats

Foods containing healthy fats include avocados, olives and unsalted nuts.

Fish

Fish is a great source of healthy fat. ​​Oily fish like sardines and salmon have a particularly high amount of healthy fat.

Wholegrains

When grains are refined, part of the grain is removed. ​Because wholegrains are less processed, they contain more fibre than refined grains. ​​This helps reduce and regulate cholesterol.

5 ways to start eating a heart-healthy diet

1. Eat more fruit and vegetables

​Try to eat at least ​​​2 ​serves of fruit and fives serves of vegetables each day.

​​​​2. Avoid saturated fats​​

​​​These are found mainly in animal products. Eating too much food high in saturated fats can raise the cholesterol in your blood.​​​​

3. Cut down on processed food

Processed and packaged food is the source of most of the salt we consume. A key way to reduce your salt intake is to cut down on your intake of processed food like ​deli meats and canned foods.

4. Pay attention to portion size

​Avoid over-eating and​ try to eat the different food groups in healthy proportions. 

5. Cut down on red meat

​Red meat is associated with a higher risk of heart disease. Try to limit your intake to 1–3 meals per week.

Heart-healthy recipe ideas

• Get a good dose of healthy fat from fish: Pistachio crusted salmon super salad or Baked fish with thyme and fennel seed crust.
• Eat the rainbow: Mexican quinoa, chickpea and corn casserole recipe or Nutrition bowl with beetroot hummus and guacamole or Easy veggie tacos. 
• Switch to wholegrains: Coconut quinoa with kale and pesto or Superfood grain bowl recipe.

Diet and heart health: frequently asked questions

What foods should I avoid for heart health?

To keep your heart healthy, try to eat less of:

• ​​​sweets such as biscuits, cake, ​ice cream and chocolate
• ​​​takeaway food like pizza and hot chips
• ​​​processed meats.

Are eggs heart-healthy?

​Eggs are considered neutral for heart health; they’re not shown to significantly increase or decrease your risk of heart disease. ​​If you have type 2 diabetes or high cholesterol, it’s recommended you limit your egg consumption to 7 per week.

Is dairy good for heart health?

​Dairy doesn’t increase or decrease your risk of heart disease. It’s a good source of protein, calcium and other minerals, so it’s a good component of a balanced diet. Look for unflavoured dairy products without added sugar.