The 10 Best Heart-Healthy Diets
Eat your heart out, baby.
Or at least -- eat for your heart. Not only does being overweight put people at risk for heart disease and stroke, but a heart-healthy diet can help you lose weight or lower cholesterol, blood pressure or triglycerides. According to experts who rated 35 diets for U.S. News, these are the best diets for your heart:
1. The Ornish Diet
This rule-heavy plan has ranked No. 1 for heart health for five consecutive years. Dieters adhere to a strict regimen: Only 10 percent of calories can come from fat, very little of it saturated, and most foods with any cholesterol or refined carbohydrates, oils, excessive caffeine and nearly all animal products are banned. Research suggests the Ornish Diet, combined with stress-management techniques, exercise, social support and smoking cessation, could actually reverse heart disease.
2. TLC Diet
The Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes diet, created by the National Institutes of Health's National Cholesterol Education Program, claims to lower "bad" LDL cholesterol by 8 to 10 percent in six weeks. Our experts are confident it works. In one Journal of Lipid Research study, participants who shifted from a typical American diet to the TLC Diet reduced their LDL cholesterol by 11 percent after 32 days.
3. DASH Diet
The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension program, or DASH, was created to help control high blood pressure -- and its effects on that marker of cardiovascular health have been extensively studied. If you adopt the diet, you'll emphasize the foods you've always been told to eat (fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean protein and low-fat dairy), while shunning those we've grown to love (calorie- and fat-laden sweets and red meat).
4. Mediterranean Diet
What can't this eating style do? The Mediterranean diet has been associated with a decreased risk for heart disease, and it's also been shown to reduce blood pressure and "bad" LDL cholesterol. Since the Mediterranean approach largely shuns saturated fat (which contributes to high cholesterol), and includes healthier mono- and polyunsaturated fats in moderation (which can reduce cholesterol), you'll do your heart a favor.
5. Engine 2 Diet
This low-fat, "plant strong" diet was created by Rip Esselstyn, a firefighter, former professional athlete and medical scion. It's thought to prevent and often reverse diseases, like heart disease, caused by the so-called Standard American Diet and should also help keep cholesterol and blood pressure in check. If you adopt the Engine 2 Diet, you'll load up on fruit, vegetables and whole grains, and slash all animal products, processed foods and vegetable oils from your diet.
6. Vegan Diet
Veganism earned high marks for its potential to boost cardiovascular health. It emphasizes the right foods -- fruit, veggies and whole grains -- while steering dieters away from meat, dairy and salty, processed choices. In a 12-year study that compared 6,000 vegetarians with 5,000 meat-eaters, for example, researchers found that the vegans in the group had a 57 percent lower risk of ischemic heart disease than the meat-eaters. (The condition involves reduced heart pumping due to coronary artery disease and often leads to heart failure.)
7. Flexitarian Diet
Flexitarian is a marriage of two words: flexible and vegetarian. The plan revolves around the idea that you don't have to eliminate meat completely to reap the health benefits associated with vegetarianism; an occasional burger is OK. Research suggests the plan helps promote healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
8. Anti-Inflammatory Diet
The Anti-Inflammatory Diet, which is based on the heart-healthy principles of the Mediterranean diet, reflects creator Andrew Weil's belief that certain foods cause or combat systemic inflammation. According to the American Heart Association, inflammation is not a proven cause of cardiovascular disease, but it is common among heart disease patients. Plus, the program emphasizes a steady supply of omega-3 fatty acids, which research suggests protect against heart disease.
8. Mayo Clinic Diet
Experts agree the Mayo Clinic Diet is a sound option for preventing or controlling heart problems. It focuses on coaching dieters to develop healthy, lasting habits around which foods they choose to eat and which to avoid. Plus, it reflects the medical community's widely accepted definition of a heart-healthy diet: heavy on fruit, veggies and whole grains but light on saturated fat and salt.
8. Vegetarian Diet
A vegetarian diet has the potential to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease, according to experts, as long as vegetarians don't load up on full-fat dairy and processed foods. It's a good bet for heart-conscious dieters, especially those who don't have the heart to eat animals anyway.
Angela Haupt is a senior editor with the Health and Wellness section at U.S. News. You can follow her on Twitter, connect with her on LinkedIn, circle her on Google+ or email her at ahaupt@usnews.com.
