Diet Guide for Heart Patients
Dietician and Nutritionist, Jaslok Hospital, 13 years of experience
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Heart diseases and the role of a diet plan
From where your treasure is, there your heart will also be. Unhealthy eating habits such as adding too many spices to the food, excessive salt intake, consuming sweets after the meal, etc. are some of the practices followed in Indian households that are the main reason behind cardiovascular or heart diseases. Everyone says that lifestyle, exercise, and diet are the key factors to keeping heart diseases at bay. But what nobody tells you is how to modify your diet to avoid heart diseases. Heart diseases can be caused due to multiple reasons such as scarring of heart tissues, loss of blood flow, thickening of heart muscles, blood clots, and so on. To avoid heart diseases, it is very important to follow a heart-healthy diet for heart patients.
Our cardiac patient diet plan contains lots of fruits and vegetables which are high in nutrition and low in cholesterol along with whole grains such as bajra, jowar, oats, ragi, etc. Food items made from maida like cookies, soft drinks, red meat, butter, Vanaspati oil, deep-fried food, etc. should be avoided. Our three-course meal diet plan covers healthy meal options that are not bland, monotonous, or boring. These meal options are nutrient-rich with a plethora of colors and flavors.
What are the different heart diseases?
Heart diseases are conditions affecting the heart and the cardiovascular system. The common heart diseases are-
- Coronary artery disease (Know more about- What is Coronary Angioplasty? )
- Genetic or congenital heart diseases – valvular, septal defects of heart, atresia (Know more about- What is Heart Valve Diseases? )
- Heart Arrhythmias- tachycardia, bradycardia, atrial fibrillation ( Know more about- What are Arrhythmias of the Heart? )
- Dilated cardiomyopathy. ( Know more about- What are the causes of Cardiomyopathy? )
- Myocardial infarction
- Heart failure
What are unhealthy heart habits?
There are some common habits that are the major cause of heart diseases and death worldwide, which we must not follow-
- Smoking
- Excessive alcohol intake
- Sleeplessness or bad sleep habits, not getting enough sleep
- Avoiding stress or reducing stress
- Unhealthy lifestyles
- Poor dental hygiene
- Improper or poor diet
- Overweight and lack of physical exercise
- Ignoring the body’s warning signs of heart diseases
There are many hospitals and cardiac surgeons in India where heart diseases are treated, along with surgeries like pacemaker surgery, heart bypass surgery which are done with great success and precision.
Do’s And Don’ts while following Diet Plan For Heart Patients
Diet plays a significant role in your heart health. Add these food habits and lifestyle changes if you’re following a cardiac diet:
Do’s
- Include more and more fruits and vegetables in your diet that are rich in fiber and nutrients.
- Consume whole grain, beans, and lentils.
- Keep changing your cooking oil every month.
- Include Indian superfoods such as turmeric milk, cinnamon water, herbal tea, green tea, etc. to your diet every day. ( Know more about- What are the benefits of Herbal tea? )
- Eat mindfully and keep a check on your portion size.
- Sleep for 7-8 hours every day.
- Practice meditation and exercises.
Don’ts
- Avoid drinking caffeine and alcohol.
- Avoid packaged, canned, and processed food products and maida.
- Strictly avoid deep-fried food.
- Keep a check on your sodium intake. Avoid eating salty food.
Food items you can easily consume if you are a Heart Patient
- Fruits: Guava, papaya, orange, pomegranate, apple, pear, mosambi, avocado, berries, grapes that help in maintaining blood pressure and cholesterol.
- Vegetables: green-leafed vegetables, all gourd vegetables, ladyfinger, cabbage, cauliflower, beetroot; these are great sources of vitamins and rich in antioxidants.
- Cereals: whole grains and their products such as bajra, jowar, oats, Dalia, sooji, ragi, brown rice, red rice, rajgira, and kuttu are good sources of fibers that help in regulating blood pressure and boost heart health.
- Milk and Milk Products: Skimmed milk, low-fat curd, homemade paneer are rich sources of protein best for your heart.
- Nuts and seeds: Walnuts, almonds, peanuts, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds are all good sources of heart-healthy nutrients.
- Meat and fish: Lean meat, fish, eggs are healthy fats that help in reducing your cholesterol and blood pressure.
- Oil: Sunflower Oil, Groundnut Oil, Canola Oil, Mustard oil, Rice Bran Oil, Olive oil, and Sesame Oil. Ghee can be taken but in moderation.
- Beverages: Green tea, herbal tea, buttermilk, cinnamon water, Ginger infused Mint Tea can act as antioxidants to protect the health of your heart.
- Salt Intake: 3 grams of salt per day is recommended for heart patients unless advised otherwise.
- Sugar Intake: Only 2 tsp of Brown sugar per day if needed. Best avoided.
- Oil Intake: 3 tsp oil per day is perfect for maintaining low blood pressure.
- Garlic: Consuming 2-3 pods of raw garlic helps in reducing cholesterol levels.
Food Items You Should not Consume If You Are A Heart Patient
One must avoid high fats and high sodium foods if the patient has heart disease-
- butter
- fried foods
- processed meat
- thick gravy foods
- pastries or baked sugar items
- packed junk foods like potato chips, cookies, ice cream
- ketchup and mayonnaise
We hope that we could answer your questions regarding Diet Plan for Heart Patients through this article.
If you want more information about the Diet Plan for Heart Patients, you can contact a Dietician.
We only aim to give you information through this article. We do not recommend medication, treatment in any way. Only a doctor can give you the best advice.
