A cardiac diet, also known as a heart-healthy diet, is an eating plan that focuses on reducing sodium, fat, and cholesterol intake. The diet emphasizes reducing foods containing saturated fats and trans fats and substituting them with mono and polyunsaturated fats. It also advocates increasing intake of complex carbohydrates, soluble fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids. The diet limits the intake of meat, dairy products, egg products, certain desserts, and caffeine. Instead, it emphasizes a fruit and vegetable-based diet, with recommended foods such as spinach, cauliflower, broccoli, tomatoes, bok choy, arugula, bell peppers, and carrots. Fiber-rich foods such as oats, beans, ground flaxseed, and berries are also advised. A healthy cardiac diet allows for an estimated 25-30% of total calories from fat, mostly from mono and polyunsaturated fats.
The cardiac diet is recommended for people with cardiovascular disease or people looking for a healthier diet. It can help minimize the impact of a persons diet on their heart health by reducing sodium and fat intake. Too much sodium can increase blood pressure, leading to hypertension, which is a major risk factor for heart attacks and other heart problems. Fat, on the other hand, can cause plaque to build up on artery walls, also leading to heart disease.
The cardiac diet emphasizes a wide variety of vegetables and fruits, whole grains, and plant-based protein sources such as legumes, nuts, and seeds. It also recommends limiting sugar and salt intake, choosing whole grains instead of highly refined or white grains, and getting protein from lean meats, low-fat or fat-free dairy, and oily fish. Foods to limit when following the cardiac diet include red and processed meats, sugar-sweetened foods and beverages, and highly processed foods that are high in sugar and salt.
In summary, a cardiac diet is an eating plan that focuses on reducing sodium, fat, and cholesterol intake and emphasizes a wide variety of vegetables and fruits, whole grains, and plant-based protein sources. It is recommended for people with cardiovascular disease or people looking for a healthier diet.
