What's the secret to staying young at heart? A new study published in the journal Aging Cell found that restricting your calorie intake may keep your heart acting like one that's 20 years younger. Weight loss is associated with several well-known medical benefits, such as reduced risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol—all risk factors for the development of heart disease," explains Dr.

Deepak Bhatt, an interventional cardiologist and associate professor at Harvard Medical School. To continue reading this article, you must log in. Subscribe to Harvard Health Online for immediate access to health news and information from Harvard Medical School.

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Recent Blog Articles. Flowers, chocolates, organ donation — are you in? What is a tongue-tie? What parents need to know. Sugar is a general term used to describe simple carbohydrates mono- and disaccharides that are either naturally occurring or added to foods during processing or at the table.

Complex carbohydrates polysaccharides are commonly referred to as starches, and these are broken down into sugar in the body during the digestive process. Common table sugar — white, granulated sugar — is sucrose. It is made up of one molecule of glucose and one molecule of fructose, the sugar in fruit.

Sugar is a threat to heart health for a few reasons. First, sugar raises blood glucose and stimulates insulin production. This is not a problem for people with normal metabolism, but is troublesome for those with pre-diabetes, diabetes or metabolic syndrome. Second, high-sugar foods are often high in calories and can lead to overeating and weight gain.

Third, diets high in simple sugars can increase blood levels of triglycerides. A heart-healthy diet does include some carbohydrates, and even a small amount of sugar — in the right form and in limited amounts.

Naturally occurring sugars are more healthful than added sugars. A heart-healthy diet includes fruit, vegetables, grains and yogurt and milk for some — all of which contain naturally occurring sugars.

Because these foods provide important vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates, the body's main fuel source, they should be a regular part of the diet.

Added sugars, however, are in many of the processed foods we eat. The biggest source of added sugar for Americans is soft drinks, but fruit drinks, sweetened coffee drinks, pastries, candy, jams and jellies, syrup, and many ready-to-eat cereals are also high in added sugar. Read the labels.

These foods are often low in nutrients and should be included in very limited amounts or avoided in a heart-healthy diet. The bottom line: Cut down on sweets. Avoid sugary beverages. Include healthy carbohydrates — from fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts and whole grains, and low- or nonfat milk and yogurt — in moderate amounts, eaten throughout the day rather than all at once.

Talk to a dietitian for help figuring out how much carbohydrate is best for you. Too much alcohol is not good for your heart. Excessive alcohol intake can increase fats triglycerides in the blood, increase blood pressure and add extra calories that lead to weight gain.

In moderation, alcohol appears to have some beneficial effect on the heart. The possible antioxidant effect of red wine has been widely publicized, but its potentially beneficial substances can be obtained from other foods, such as grapes or red grape juice.

Alcohol may have an anti-clotting effect on the blood, reducing clot formation and reducing the risk of heart attack or stroke. Aspirin may help reduce blood clotting in a similar way. The best-known beneficial effect of alcohol is an increase in HDL, the "good" cholesterol. However, regular physical activity and weight loss are other effective ways to raise HDL cholesterol.

While studies on the potential mechanisms of alcohol on cardiovascular risk need further research, right now we do not recommend adding alcohol to your diet to achieve these potential benefits.

If you already drink alcohol and have no reason to avoid it, such as alcoholism or family history of alcoholism, limit it to one serving per day for women and two servings per day for men.

One serving is 12 ounces of beer, four ounces of wine, 1. A high-fiber diet is part of a heart-healthy lifestyle. In addition to its role in heart health, a high-fiber diet appears to reduce risk of developing diabetes , diverticular disease , constipation and colon cancer.

Fiber also slows digestion, which means high-fiber foods help you feel fuller, longer — which may help you eat fewer calories and control your weight. Dietary fiber is material from plant cells that cannot be broken down by enzymes in the human digestive tract. There are two important types of fiber: water-soluble and water insoluble.

Each has different properties and characteristics. Both types of fiber are helpful in maintaining good digestion and providing a sense of fullness, which helps prevent overeating and weight gain. Soluble fiber in particular decreases blood cholesterol.

Fruits, vegetables, legumes dry beans, lentils, peas , barley, oats and oat bran are good sources of soluble fiber. Total dietary fiber intake should be at least 25 to 30 grams a day from food, not supplements. Right now dietary fiber intakes among adults in the United States average about 15 grams a day.

That's about half the recommended amount. UCSF Health medical specialists have reviewed this information. It is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your doctor or other health care provider.

We encourage you to discuss any questions or concerns you may have with your provider. Use these tables to check the cholesterol and fat content of the foods you eat.

This will help you keep track of your daily cholesterol intake. Various tests are used to diagnose heart disease. These can include, laboratory tests, blood tests, Electrocardiogram, Echocardiogram, EKG and more.

William Grossman, Director of the Center for Prevention of Heart and Vascular Disease at UCSF, answers some frequently asked questions about heart disease. Find commonly asked questions regarding heart-healthy diets, including how to know if you need a transplant, how long the waiting list is, and more.

Check out these guidelines for a low cholesterol, low saturated fat diet including how to choose meats, dairy, fruits and vegetables and more. A main source of sodium is table salt. The average American eats five or more teaspoons of salt each day, about 20 times as much as the body needs.

Learn more. Estimate your risk for heart disease by completing this form. The calculator is designed for adults age 20 and older who don't already have heart disease. A high-fiber diet reduces the risk of developing various diseases and is important for the health of the digestive system and lowering cholesterol.

The leading cause of death among smokers is not lung cancer, it is heart disease. Life without stress would be boring. Some types of stress, such as physical activity, actually can help you relax and handle mental or emotional stress. Risk factors for heart disease are discussed here.

You may also wish to calculate your risk of developing heart disease with our risk assessment tool. Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight is one of the best things you can do for your heart. Calculate your own BMI with our online BMI calculator here. Heart disease is the No. Learn more here.

Catheter Ablation. Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator. Ventricular assist device VAD. Patient Education. What is a heart-healthy diet?

Read the Nutrition Facts and ingredient list on packaged food labels to choose those with less sodium, added sugars and saturated fat. Look for the Heart-Check mark to find foods that have been certified by the American Heart Association as heart-healthy.

Learn more about quitting smoking. Written by American Heart Association editorial staff and reviewed by science and medicine advisors. See our editorial policies and staff. Eat Smart. American Heart Association Cookbooks.

Nutrition Basics. Healthy For Good: Spanish Infographics. Home Healthy Living Healthy Eating Eat Smart Nutrition Basics The American Heart Association Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations. Use up at least as many calories as you take in. Start by knowing how many calories you should be eating and drinking to maintain your weight.

According to the authors, it is likely that these benefits will be even more pronounced in people who are at higher risk of cardiovascular disease due to being overweight. Exercise can prevent or slow the cognitive decline associated with aging if done regularly at a moderate intensity.

A large recent study indicates that the consumption of lignans is associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease. The recent arrival of Juul in Canada September is a good opportunity to describe this new product, presented by its manufacturer as a smoking […].

Adopting a healthy lifestyle, i. eating well, exercising, managing stress and not smoking or consuming too much alcohol, has beneficial effects on the aging of our cells according to recent scientific literature. Articles Nutrition Caloric restriction Even a small reduction in caloric intake improves cardiovascular health.

Dr Martin Juneau, M. See all articles. Voir cet article en français. Even a small reduction in caloric intake improves cardiovascular health. En bref. For two years, the researchers measured variations in several cardiovascular risk factors, including body weight, cholesterol levels, blood pressure and insulin production.

Previous article. Random article. Next article. Aging Cognitive decline Physical activity Risk factors. Consider planning meals for the week, and prioritizing ingredients that are frozen or can be stored safely for longer periods of time. When eating restaurant meals or takeout, a person can aim for dietary choices that follow the cardiac diet.

People may wish to avoid fried foods and sauces and dressings high in sugar, salt, and fat. They may also aim to limit their alcohol intake when dining out. Starting and sticking to the cardiac diet is a process. If a person is used to eating refined carbs and processed foods frequently, they may find it difficult to make larger dietary changes.

Trying the tips above may help. Whole grains, vegetables, legumes, and oily fish are nutritious staple foods to include in the cardiac diet.

People may wish to limit processed foods, sugar, salt, and saturated fats. It can be helpful for people to plan their diet and be mindful of their choices when dining out. Getting daily exercise and managing stress are also beneficial for heart health. Read this article in Spanish.

The microbiome diet aims to promote good bacteria in the gut. Learn if it works, foods to eat, foods to avoid, and the pros and cons. There are many ways to improve cardiac health, and watching what we eat is one of the most important.

Here, we provide details of 16 heart-healthy…. The macrobiotic diet focuses on whole grains, vegetables, and plant foods. Learn more. The Whole30 diet involves not eating grains, legumes, dairy, and specific other food groups for 30 days. It is safe to try for most people and may….

Researchers say gastric bypass surgery is more effective than gastric sleeve procedures in helping people go into remission from type 2 diabetes.

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Medical News Today. Health Conditions Health Products Discover Tools Connect. What is the cardiac diet? Medically reviewed by Sade Meeks, MS, RD , Nutrition — By Louisa Richards — Updated on October 26, Overview Recommended diets Foods to eat Foods to limit Meal plan Tips Restaurant options Lifestyle tips Takeaway The cardiac diet aims to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

A note about sex and gender Sex and gender exist on spectrums. Was this helpful? What to know about the cardiac diet. Share on Pinterest Getty Images. What are some recommended cardiac diets? What can I eat on a cardiac diet? Foods to limit.

Cardiac diet meal plan. Tips for sticking with the cardiac diet. Options at restaurants. Lifestyle tips for a healthy heart. How we reviewed this article: Sources. Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations.