Why Cardiologists Recommend a Plant-Based Diet

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in American men and women across all racial and ethnic groups. It’s responsible for 1 in 5 deaths. One person dies of cardiovascular disease every 34 seconds in the US. Yet, heart disease is preventable. Cardiovascular disease risk can be significantly lowered by eating a heart-healthy diet and engaging in regular physical activity. Please continue reading to understand why plant-based diets are good for your heart.

What is a plant-based diet?

Research has shown that healthy eating patterns include whole foods and plant-based nutrition. “Whole food” means food that is not highly processed. Foods such as fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, poultry, fish, and eggs qualify as whole foods. So, while lemon, potato, and chicken drumsticks are whole foods, bottled lemonade, potato chips, and chicken nuggets are highly processed foods. 

A “plant-based” diet is one in which most of your food comes from plant sources like fruits and vegetables rather than animal sources like meat and dairy. A plant-based diet does not necessarily have to be vegetarian or vegan. There is some flexibility to include small amounts of animal-based foods like dairy, eggs, fish, poultry, and meat. The goal is to eat a diet where “most” of your food comes from plants.

Why would a doctor recommend a plant-based diet?

Plant-based diets have been proven to lower the risk of many chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease and cancer. Plant-based diets are especially beneficial for people with obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. A plant-based diet with a limited animal food intake has also been linked to improved sleep, a lower risk of mental health disorders, a decreased rate of cognitive decline in older adults, and an overall improved quality of life.

Do cardiologists recommend a plant-based diet?

Cardiologists strongly recommend a plant-based diet because it has many heart health benefits. Animal products like meat, eggs, and dairy contain saturated fat, which can lead to plaque buildup in the arteries. On the other hand, cardiovascular research shows that eating a healthful plant-based diet is linked to a reduced risk of heart disease and cardiovascular events. 

How does a plant-based diet help the heart?

Eating a plant-based diet (with a limited intake of animal products) can lower your risk of heart disease, heart failure, heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular events. Plant-based diets help to lower blood pressure and LDL cholesterol, lower your risk of diabetes, and help you maintain a healthy weight, all of which can reduce your risk of heart disease. What’s more, you don’t need to follow strict vegetarian or vegan dietary patterns to reap the benefits of a plant-based diet. 

Can plant-based diets help cardiovascular disease? 

Plant-based diets can help people with cardiovascular disease. Many diets that can lower your heart disease risk, such as the DASH, Mediterranean, and MIND diets, encourage a higher intake of plant-based foods.

Not only do plant-based diets lower heart attack and stroke risk, but they can also reduce the need for medications, such as antihypertensives and cholesterol-lowering medications, and may even reverse heart disease.

Are all plant-based diets healthy? 

There are many heart health benefits of eating a plant-based diet with reduced consumption of animal foods. However, public health experts and cardiologists caution that it’s important to choose a “healthful” plant-based diet that includes whole foods (unprocessed foods). 

For example, white bread and white rice are plant-based foods but are highly processed with a high glycemic index (they can make your blood sugar levels spike). Similarly, drinking a glass of orange juice differs from eating a fresh orange. Many bottled juices and canned vegetables are high in salt and sugar and low in fiber and vitamins. 

The goal, therefore, should be:

• Higher intake of healthy plant foods (eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, and healthy oils like olive oil). 

• Eat fewer animal foods like dairy, eggs, fish, poultry, and meat.

• Eat less processed plant foods like refined grains, pasta, white rice, breads, cereals, potato chips, French fries, fruit juices, and sugar-sweetened beverages (this is an unhealthful plant-based diet). 

• Lower intake of highly processed foods that contain animal products, such as cakes, cookies, fried foods, canned soups, and frozen pizzas.

How to eat a plant-based diet to prevent coronary heart disease?

The US government’s My Plate program offers a simplified approach to eating a heart-healthy, plant-based diet. This involves ensuring half the food on your plate is plant-based (for example, vegetables), a quarter is whole grains, and a quarter is animal or plant protein. This dietary pattern automatically ensures you get 75% of your diet from plant sources. 

It can feel overwhelming for meat eaters to transition to plant foods. It’s easier to take small steps, such as eating smaller amounts of processed and red meat and replacing it with plant protein like nuts, legumes, dairy, eggs, fish, and poultry. Small steps are more likely to result in more significant adherence long-term to a plant-based diet.

For example, swap out your can of soda for a glass of water at lunchtime, or try cutting down your red meat consumption to twice weekly instead of daily. (The daily consumption of 100 grams of red meat is linked to a 25% increased risk of coronary heart disease. Just 50 grams of processed meat (ham, sausages, hot dogs) in a day is associated with a 44% higher risk of cardiovascular disease). Interestingly, cardiovascular research has not shown any benefit of low-fat versus full-fat dairy when eaten in limited amounts (a few times every week), so you can eat whatever form of dairy you enjoy.