Eat what your heart desires: how to eat a balanced and heart-healthy diet.
Too many calories, fats and too much sugar damage the heart and blood vessels - unfortunately, this is even more true for people who already suffer from cardiovascular disease. So do you have to give up eating completely? Of course not! We give tips on how you can eat a balanced diet and still enjoy delicious food.
It's no longer a secret that you can have a significant influence on your own health through your diet and lifestyle. Cardiovascular diseases in particular are closely linked to diet. Fatty and sugary foods not only lead to obesity and high blood pressure, but also to high blood fat and sugar levels. These damage the blood vessels and impair blood flow to the heart muscle. It is therefore particularly important for people with heart disease to pay attention to their diet. But what exactly is a heart-healthy diet? Which foods are recommended and which are not? We give you an overview of the nutritional rules you should literally "take to heart".
Rule no. 1 - Adjust your energy intake
One of the most important principles is also the simplest: don't consume more energy than you need. In times of pandemic, working from home and supermarket delivery services, we are moving less and less and sitting more and more. Our diet must also adapt to this, as too much energy intake quickly leads to obesity, which in turn can promote high blood pressure. A normal body weight is therefore particularly important for people with cardiovascular problems - it helps to lower blood pressure. According to scientific studies, a weight loss of around 4 kilograms can reduce systolic blood pressure by an average of four to five mmHg and diastolic blood pressure by 3 mmHg. However, you should never go on a radical diet to lose weight, as the yo-yo effect will not be long in coming. A long-term change in diet with less fat and sugar is recommended, preferably in combination with regular exercise.
Rule No. 2 - Choose the right foods
When it comes to healthy eating, it's worth looking beyond your own nose. The Mediterranean diet is considered to be particularly balanced: Fresh ingredients, simple, gentle preparation and a high proportion of fruit and vegetables provide the body with an optimal supply of fiber, vitamins, trace elements and minerals, as well as healthy and predominantly plant-based fats. Fresh Asian cuisine also offers plenty of inspiration for a healthy lifestyle - here too, there are lots of fresh vegetables and plenty of fish on the menu, which provides valuable omega-3 fatty acids.
The basics of a heart-healthy diet:
- Eat plenty of raw or gently cooked vegetables at every meal. Fresh leafy salads or raw vegetable salads with light dressings should also be on the table frequently. Fresh fruit is ideal as a dessert or small snack. You should eat around 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day, as both are low in calories but high in valuable vitamins, minerals, trace elements and fiber. When eating fruit, look out for fruit varieties that contain less fructose, e.g. berries or watermelon.
- Wholemeal products (for example wholemeal rice or wholemeal pasta), potatoes and pulses such as lentils, beans or chickpeas are important sources of energy and protein in a heart-healthy diet. They are also rich in minerals.
- Dairy products such as yogurt and cheese should also be on the menu every day, with around two to three portions a day. To keep your fat intake under control, you can opt for lower-fat products such as low-fat quark, cottage cheese or natural yoghurt.
- Eat plenty of fish, preferably several times a week.
- However, try to limit your meat consumption considerably and give preference to poultry. Red meat and sausage should be on your menu no more than once a week.
- Only use high-quality vegetable oils when cooking, such as olive, rapeseed, hemp, walnut or linseed oil. Seeds and nuts also provide the body with high-quality fatty acids.
- Fresh herbs, onions or garlic provide more flavor and can be used in abundance. The same applies to aromatic spices such as turmeric, pepper or cumin, which also have an anti-inflammatory effect.
- Make sure your diet is low in salt.
- Drink enough, especially water and unsweetened tea. Unsweetened coffee (4-5 cups per day) is also permitted and, if you are used to it, does not lead to an increase in blood pressure. However, avoid sugary soft drinks and undiluted fruit juices.
Rule no. 3 - Eat a balanced diet
Not only the choice of the right foods is important, but of course also the quantity and method of preparation. The food pyramid provides a good guide: foods in the lower levels should form the basis of your diet, while foods in the upper levels should be consumed less frequently and in smaller quantities. When shopping, choose fresh foods such as fruit and vegetables as seasonally appropriate as possible and make sure you store them correctly and prepare them gently. You can find tips on how to store and cook food correctly on the website of the Heartuk.org.uk.
Rule no. 4 - Focus on the right fats
Fats are not fundamentally bad for the body - on the contrary. They fulfill many important tasks in our body. However, the quality of the fats plays a decisive role, especially in diseases such as arteriosclerosis (vascular calcification). People with heart disease should avoid saturated fatty acids or so-called trans fats, such as those found in meat, sausage, baked goods, lard/butter and fast food. Unsaturated fatty acids, which are found in high-quality vegetable oils, nuts, seeds and sea fish, are much more suitable. In contrast to saturated fatty acids, these can even have a positive effect on blood lipids, blood pressure, heart attack risk, etc. If you are trying to reduce your body weight, you should make sure that you do not consume more than 60 to 80 grams of fat per day. As many foods contain hidden fats, it is advisable to check the nutritional information on the packaging when you go shopping. The fat content is precisely stated here. Since 2020, the so-called Nutri-Score, which can be found on packaging, has also been a good aid in assessing finished products. The dark green A indicates the best rating and stands for a balanced ratio of energy and nutrients, while the red E is the worst rating.
Rule no. 6 - Get inspiration and enjoy
Healthy eating is easier and tastier than ever before in this day and age and with the range of foods available. Changing your diet is therefore the perfect opportunity to try out new dishes and get inspired. Numerous food blogs on the internet and a whole range of cookbooks that focus specifically on heart-healthy eating offer many new, delicious recipes. Try them out - for the sake of your health!