10 diet decisions for better heart health

Mind and Body Here's how to protect your most important muscle. by Jennifer Walter November 4, 2021 Stefania Pelfini, La Waziya Photography/Moment/Getty Images

Shutterstock It’s no secret that a balanced diet and regular exercise can help keep your heart healthy.

Shutterstock But instead of restricting yourself to certain foods or types of physical activity, it’s often more productive to look at the whole picture of your dietary and exercise habits.

So, what makes someone’s lifestyle truly heart healthy? 10 key guidelines released November 2 by the American Heart Association provide a starting place for approaching heart health holistically. Shutterstock

Shutterstock The AHA’s 2021 dietary guidelines give advice that will probably sound familiar. But the broad approach of their 10 key points is meant to be adaptable to people across cultures and lifestyles, offering a template rather than restrictive rules.

Shutterstock Here are 10 diet decisions that support good heart health:

10. Balance Maintain a healthy weight by balancing food/calorie intake with exercise. Shutterstock

9. Diversify Eat a wide range of fruits and vegetables so that you’re getting nutrients from many sources, and not relying on supplements. Shutterstock

8. Be picky Choose whole grain foods or foods made of mostly whole grains. Katrin Ray Shumakov/Moment/Getty Images

7. Limit Watch your intake of red and processed meats, and opt instead for plant proteins, lean meats, and seafood. Alexey Soloviev / 500px/500px/Getty Images

6. Choose Pick minimally processed foods over ultra-processed foods as much as possible. Alexandr Dubynin/Moment/Getty Images

5. Swap Use liquid plant oils when preparing food, like olive oil, rather than tropical oils, like coconut oil. Also limit the use of partially hydrogenated fats, which contain trans fats. Shutterstock

4. Minimize Limit your intake of beverages and foods with added sugars. Shutterstock

3. Prepare When cooking or baking, try to use little to no salt. This also applies when eating at restaurants or away from home. Pinkybird/E+/Getty Images

2. Refrain Set limits on your alcohol consumption . If you don’t drink, don’t start. Shutterstock

1. Apply Use these guidelines everywhere, while at home or away. Consistency is key! Shutterstock

10 diet decisions for better heart health

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