Easy Tips To Start A Plant Based Heart Healthy Diet
Protecting your heart starts with what you put on your plate. The foods we eat impact so many factors that relate to our heart health, from blood pressure to cholesterol levels. Health experts and researchers note one particular lifestyle that may be connected to positive cardiovascular outcomes: plant-based diets.
Eating a plant-forward diet may drastically reduce the risk of heart disease, along with tons of other health benefits. It takes a mindful approach, but when done right, a plant-based heart-healthy diet could be the key to better cardiovascular health.
Why plant-based eating patterns are heart healthy
Eating a plant-based diet that’s rich in fruits, vegetables, and other whole foods delivers some of the most important heart-healthy nutrients and removes some of the biggest dietary risk factors for heart disease.
High fiber
Eating more fiber is one of the best defenses against cardiovascular disease, as this nutrient plays a huge part in lowering bad LDL cholesterol levels. Beans, whole grains, and seeds are all high in fiber and completely plant-based.
Less saturated fats
Animal products tend to be higher in saturated fats — a contributor to cardiovascular issues — than plant-based foods. Plus, when you cut out this type of fat in ultra processed meats and dairy, you remove a common cause of inflammation, which may negatively impact heart muscle.
Blood sugar benefits
We often think of lowering our blood sugar as the first line of defense in reducing the risk of diabetes, but preventing diabetes is also an important step in protecting your heart. Diabetes doubles your risk of heart disease, as high blood sugar can damage the vessels and nerves surrounding your heart. Plant-based diets have been shown to have a positive impact on blood glucose, so make some space on your plate for greens and beans.
Plant-based eating patterns vs. other heart healthy diets
A plant-based diet isn’t the only heart-healthy way to eat, but you’ll find a lot of overlap with a vegan lifestyle and other cardiovascular friendly diets. The main difference between a plant-based lifestyle and diets like the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet is the role of animal products in each.
Plant-based eating patterns vs. the Mediterranean diet
The Mediterranean diet requires a decrease in red meat, but fish, poultry, and dairy are still prominent. A plant-based diet does not prioritize animal-based products.
Adopting either a plant-based or Mediterranean diet can have a positive impact on your heart health, as both lifestyles offer similar nutritional profiles. They both focus on adding more whole foods over processed ones, while reducing saturated fats and increasing heart-healthy unsaturated fats like olive oil.
The protein sources in the Mediterranean diet are typically rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which may help lower blood pressure. Although a plant-based diet doesn’t include fish or fish oil, you can still get omega-3s from plant-based foods like nuts and seeds. There’s also some evidence that alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), the type of fatty acid in flaxseed, may lower the risk of arrhythmias in certain individuals.
Plant-based eating patterns vs. the DASH diet
The DASH (dietary approach to stop hypertension) diet also prioritizes whole foods and healthy fats, while reducing or eliminating processed foods. It’s an effective way to manage blood pressure, as you consume as little added salt, sugar, saturated fats, and alcohol as possible. Although eating plant-based isn’t a requirement, it’s absolutely possible to follow a plant-based lifestyle and the DASH diet at the same time.
Do you have to be vegan to try a plant-based heart healthy diet?
Nope! You don’t have to be completely vegan at every single meal if you’re thinking about incorporating plant-based eating for heart health. The American Heart Association recommends a plant-forward diet for cardiovascular health, but notes that you don’t have to be 100% vegan to enjoy these benefits. In fact, the organization emphasizes that the most important things to remove from your diet are processed meats and red meats, not necessarily fish or lean poultry.
If removing all meat and dairy products seems like too much of a challenge, remember that it’s also about what you’re adding to your plate, not what you’re taking away. Making more room for whole grains, veggies, and plant-based proteins like seitan or tofu doesn’t mean doing away with a salmon fillet or shrimp. Eating mostly plant-based can still improve your cholesterol, blood sugar, and inflammation levels.
If this sounds like you, read more about the flexitarian diet, which priorities plants but doesn’t remove animal products altogether.
The plate breakdown: What’s on your plate when eating plant-based?
A heart-healthy plate means minimal saturated fats, added sodium, and sugar. So what should you include when crafting a heart-healthy plant-based meal?
- Plant-based protein source: Lean proteins support heart health and plant-based protein sources like beans, tofu, nuts, and seeds are some of the best ways to get it.
- Non-starchy vegetables: The National Lipid Association recommends filling half your plate with colorful, low-starch veggies like leafy greens, broccoli, or bell peppers.
- Whole grains: About one-quarter of your plate should include a high-fiber whole grain. Think farro, quinoa, or brown rice — all perfect ingredients for the base of a delicious grain bowl.
- Fresh fruit: Sometimes you need a little something sweet to end a meal. Whole or dried fruits are free from processed sugar, and full of fiber and vitamins. Just be sure to read the nutrition facts first to make sure there’s no added sugar in your dried fruit.
Practical tips for starting a plant-based heart-healthy diet
Changing your lifestyle to a plant-forward, heart-healthy diet doesn’t have to happen overnight. Think small steps, like swapping a meal or two each week, subbing out foods you won’t miss, and focus on adding plants instead of taking away animal products. Here are some tips to set yourself up for success.
Swap 1 to 2 meals per week
If meat is the main star in most of your current meals, start with a couple of plant-based meals per week. A slow beginning makes it easy to implement gradual changes that you’re more likely to stick to in the long run. Purple Carrot makes it easy to make the gradual transition!
Substitute foods that don’t matter as much to you
Start with the easy stuff. One of the best tips for going plant-based is to cut out the foods you could care less about before anything else. Not a huge fan of burgers? Try a grilled portobello sandwich at your next BBQ.
Add more than you subtract
It’s hard to stay motivated when you’re in a fully restrictive mindset. Focusing on eating more plant-based protein and whole foods, rather than eating little to no animal products, shifts your perspective in the right direction.
Get guidance from a healthcare professional
It’s always a good idea to talk to your healthcare team before making major lifestyle changes, especially if you have any existing cardiovascular issues. Discuss your new dietary changes with your doctor. They might even recommend getting extra support from a heart-health focused nutritionist.
Try a plant-based meal kit
Having to do all the planning on your own is a lot on top of everything else. After a busy work week, the last thing you want to do is build a new grocery list and then still have to come home and cook a full meal. Meal kit delivery services like Purple Carrot bring heart-healthy meals and ready-to-eat vegan meals right to your door every week.
Take care of your heart with Purple Carrot
Purple Carrot makes it easy to transition to a plant-based heart-healthy diet. Our dietician-designed meals feature ingredients that are high in fiber, low in sodium and saturated fat, and most importantly, a delight for your tastebuds. With satisfying, delicious meals that are easy to cook, you’ll want to stick to your new heart healthy plan. Shop Purple Carrot today and get ready for mouth-watering meals that keep your heart, and your stomach, happy and healthy.
