The One Diet That Will Actually Lower Your Heart Attack Risk, According to Cardiologists
Foods that help support heart health and lower heart attack risk
When asked how to reduce heart attack risk, one of the first answers cardiologists give is often "eat nutritiously." It may sound trite, but there's a reason they share the answer again and again: It's tried and true too.
"Risk for heart attack can be broken down into components that we cannot readily change, such as age and genetics and components that are considered modifiable," says Dr. Dmitriy Nevelev, MD, the associate director of cardiology at Staten Island University Hospital.
Guess where diet falls? If you said "modifiable," that "ding ding ding" isn't the dinner bell. "Diet is a particularly important modifiable risk factor because of its effect on multiple aspects of health, including blood pressure, blood sugar levels, cholesterol, weight and gut microbiome health," Dr. Nevelev explains.
A 2022-published, 36-year cohort study of more than 85,000 people found that a healthy diet was vital for longevity.
Yet diet can feel like a dirty word that brings up the idea that you need to consume too few calories or bland, unenjoyable food to keep your heart healthy. Experts stress that it's possible to eat a wide variety of delicious foods that you'll love and that will benefit your heart.
Ready to dig in? Cardiologists and a Cleveland Clinic dietitian share their favorite diet for heart health. Plus, you'll find some sample meals to add to your rotation.
The Best Diet for Lowering Heart Attack Risk
We spoke with four experts—a trio of cardiologists and a dietitian. Everyone mentioned the Mediterranean diet, which was also hailed as the top diet for the seventh year in a row by US News & World Report in January. "The Mediterranean diet has been clinically proven to lower the incidence of stroke," says Julia Zumpano, RD, at the Cleveland Clinic. "By changing what you eat and drink, you can lower your chance of developing these risk factors, specifically obesity, diabetes, cholesterol and blood pressure."
When you lower these risk factors, you ultimately lower the risk of heart attack: According to Johns Hopkins, for every five-point increase in BMI, the risk of a heart attack rises by 32%. Strokes also put you at greater risk for a heart attack: One study found that 13% of people over 60 have a heart attack within three days of having a stroke. Having diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol all increase heart attack risk as well.
"Currently, there is a lot of data supporting a Mediterranean type of diet as having significant health benefits as far as overall cardiovascular health is concerned," explains Dr. Hamza Ansari, MD, a cardiologist at Memorial Hermann in Houston.
A 2019 review pointed to research that showed that people who more closely followed the Mediterranean diet were linked to improved health outcomes, like lower risks of heart disease and ischemic stroke. A large 2023 systemic review found that the diet could be particularly beneficial to lowering heart disease risk in women.
Case closed? Not quite. Two experts brought up another diet.
"When it comes to heart disease, two diets have consistently excelled: the Mediterranean diet and the DASH, or the dietary approaches to stop hypertension diet," Dr. Nevelev says.
The big difference? "The DASH diet emphasizes limited salt intake," explains Dr. Cheng-Han Chen, MD, a board-certified interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center.
High-sodium diets can increase the risk of hypertension, which can increase an individual's odds of developing other heart issues.
Related: 25 Foods That Are Good For Your Heart, From Fruits and Veggies to Heart-Healthy Nuts and Seeds
What Does the Mediterranean Diet Entail?
Unlike some diets, the Mediterranean diet isn't that rigid—which is another huge benefit cited by cardiologists. "This type of diet is fairly flexible and can be tailored to individual needs," says Dr. Ansari.
Dr. Nevelev agrees, saying this benefit makes sticking to it easier than a fad diet. "The diet is not particularly restrictive and there’s excellent variability." Dr. Nevelev says.
Read: It's not boring. Loose "rules" don't mean no "rules," though. Some core foods are included in the diet and a few are de-emphasized.
Dr. Chen says the Mediterranean diet (and DASH, for that matter) prioritizes:
Whole grains
Fruits and vegetables
Nuts and seeds
Heart-healthy fats, such as olive oil
Lean meats, such as fish and chicken
Zumpano says people following this diet will avoid processed foods, red meat, sugar and alcohol other than wine.
"A diet high in saturated fat is associated with increased atherosclerosis, which can lead to heart disease," Dr. Chen says. "Similarly, a diet high in salt can increase blood pressure, another risk factor for cardiovascular diseases."
Related: 'I'm a Cardiologist—Here's What I Eat for Dinner Multiple Times Per Week'
Sample Meals on the Mediterranean Diet
So, what does a day in the life of the Mediterranean Diet actually look like? Zumpano shared an example:
Breakfast. Oatmeal with fresh fruit, walnuts and cinnamon.
Lunch. Blackened fish filet, lettuce, tomato and bruschetta on a whole-grain bun.
Dinner. Chicken fajitas with whole grain tortilla, grilled chicken, sautéed green pepper, mushrooms and onions. For a vegetarian option, swap chicken for refried beans.
Snack. Fat-free vanilla Greek yogurt with berries.
If this feels like a heavy lift all at once, Zumpano suggests starting small and in the produce aisle. "Start with a serving goal that you think is realistic, such as one fruit and one vegetable per day, and expand from there," she says.
Next: The #1 Way to Unclog Your Arteries Naturally, According to Cardiologists
Sources
Dr. Dmitriy Nevelev, MD, the associate director of cardiology at Staten Island University Hospital
Associations between patterns of modifiable risk factors in mid-life to late life and longevity: 36-year prospective cohort study. BMJ Med.
Best diets overall. US News & World Report.
Julia Zumpano, RD, at the Cleveland Clinic
Dr. Hamza Ansari, MD, a cardiologist at Memorial Hermann in Houston.
The Mediterranean Diet and Cardiovascular Health. AHA.
Primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in women with a Mediterranean diet: systematic review and meta-analysis. Heart.
Dr. Cheng-Han Chen, MD, a board-certified interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center.
