Eating lots of plants like fruits, veggies, whole grains, beans, nuts, and seeds may help keep your cholesterol healthy and lower your chances of heart problems.

Eating mostly plants like vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole grains can help lower bad fats in your blood, which might keep your heart healthier and reduce your risk of heart disease.

If you eat a lot of plant-based foods like white bread, soda, fries, and candy instead of healthy plants like vegetables and whole grains, you might be more likely to get heart disease—even if you don’t eat any meat. It’s not just about avoiding animal products; what kind of plants you eat matters.

People who eat mostly plants tend to have better blood sugar control after meals, lower bad cholesterol, less inflammation, and less fat in their liver compared to those who eat more animal products.

People who eat more fruits and vegetables—up to about 10 servings a day—are much less likely to develop heart disease, with the biggest drop in risk coming from adding even a few servings to their diet.

People who eat more healthy plant foods like whole grains, fruits, nuts, and veggies—instead of processed stuff—tend to have a 25% lower chance of getting heart disease, especially if they’re health professionals in the U.S.