I looked into what healthy hearts eat... What are these six favorite foods?

Insufficient intake of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, fish, and dairy products increases the risk of cardiovascular disease...

 

To improve heart health, eating about 3 to 4 servings of legumes each week along with plenty of various fruits and vegetables can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

 

 

Consuming enough various fruits and vegetables benefits the cardiovascular system.

It helps reduce the risk of disease.

 

Globally, the number of deaths due to cardiovascular diseases reaches approximately 20 million.

 

This accounts for over 30% of global deaths. Among them, 85% die due to heart attacks and strokes.

 

There are research findings indicating that insufficient intake of six key foods is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.

 

According to a study led by McMaster University in Canada and the Population Health Research Institute (PHRI) Hamilton Health Sciences team, the consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, fish, and dairy products is important in reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases, including heart attacks and strokes.

 

Previous similar studies focused mainly on Western countries and centered on diets that combine harmful ultra-processed foods with nutrient-rich foods.

 

The new study expanded its scope to be representative across high-income to low-income countries and focused on foods generally considered to be healthy.

 

The research team derived a diet score from the large-scale study (Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiological·PURE) conducted by PHRI on a global scale, and obtained the same results in five independent studies.

 

The research team stated, "While existing diet scores have combined foods and nutrients considered healthy with those deemed harmful, such as processed foods, we focused our research on healthy natural foods."

 

 

The research team stated, "Recently, there has been increased interest in boosting the consumption of health-protective foods to prevent diseases," and added, "Our study demonstrated that the proper intake of natural foods is key."

 

Unprocessed dairy products that contain an adequate amount of fish and fat are associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality.

 

This study found that consuming unrefined whole grains and unprocessed meat in moderation can achieve the same health outcomes through appropriate consumption of grains and meat.

 

The PURE healthy diet score recommends an average daily intake of 2-3 servings of fruit, 2-3 servings of vegetables, 1 serving of nuts, and 2 servings of dairy.

 

Additionally, it includes 3 to 4 servings of legumes and 2 to 3 servings of fish per week. Possible alternatives include about one serving of whole grains, unprocessed red meat, or poultry per day.

 

This research result (Diet, cardiovascular disease, and mortality in 80 countries) was published in the European Heart Journal.