A nutritionally rich diet containing beneficially rated foods can lower the risk of heart disease by 52 percent.
People who eat more unprocessed or minimally processed plant-based foods are more likely to be immune from heart disease.
A study found that those who eat nutritious plant foods are at lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Research finds that a diet mainly from nutrient-rich plant foods but also containing small amounts of animal products such as nonfried fish, nonfried poultry, and low fat dairy can prevent heart disease.
A heart-healthy dietary pattern usually contains lots of green vegetables, whole grains, fruits, legumes, seeds and nuts, nonfried fish and poultry, low-fat dairy products, and olive oil.
It is also recommended to avoid or limit soft drinks, desserts, salty foods, high‐fat or processed products, sweets, and fried foods.
Dr Choi, the study’s first author, said:
“Earlier research was focused on single nutrients or single foods, yet there is little data about a plant-centered diet and the long-term risk of cardiovascular disease.”
The team studied 4,946 people over 32 years to see if there is any link between diet and the incidence of heart disease.
The quality of these people’s diets was scored based on the A Priori Diet Quality Score (APDQS) system.
The APDQS consisted of 46 food groups which are classified as:
- neutrally rated food such as refined grains, potatoes, shellfish, and lean meats,
- beneficially rated food such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, fish, vegetable oil, poultry, low‐fat milk, low-fat yogurt, coffee, and tea,
- adversely rated food such as high-fat red meat, fried potatoes, soft drinks, sauces, pastries, and salty snacks.
Those who scored higher consumed primarily nutritionally rich plant products from the beneficially rated food group and those with lower scores consumed more adversely rated foods.
The risk of developing heart disease reduced by 52 percent for those who scored in the top 20 percent (eating nutritionally rich plant-based diet and fewer adversely rated foods).
Those whose diet improved in quality had a 61 percent reduced risk of developing heart disease compared with those who ate more lower quality foods as time went by.
Dr Choi said:
“A nutritionally rich, plant-centered diet is beneficial for cardiovascular health.
A plant-centered diet is not necessarily vegetarian.
People can choose among plant foods that are as close to natural as possible, not highly processed.
We think that individuals can include animal products in moderation from time to time, such as non-fried poultry, non-fried fish, eggs and low-fat dairy.”
The study was published in the Journal of the American Heart Association (Choi et al., 2021).
