What you eat matters more than how many calories
Dietary and Policy Priorities for Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes, and Obesity: A Comprehensive Review
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Eating whole foods like nuts, yogurt, and fish reduces heart disease risk more than cutting saturated fat alone.
For decades, nutrition advice focused on reducing fat intake—this study shows that adding healthy whole foods is more powerful than just removing 'bad' nutrients.
Practical Takeaways
Swap one processed food per day for a whole food—e.g., replace bacon with eggs and avocado, or white bread with whole grain and hummus.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Eating whole foods like nuts, yogurt, and fish reduces heart disease risk more than cutting saturated fat alone.
For decades, nutrition advice focused on reducing fat intake—this study shows that adding healthy whole foods is more powerful than just removing 'bad' nutrients.
Practical Takeaways
Swap one processed food per day for a whole food—e.g., replace bacon with eggs and avocado, or white bread with whole grain and hummus.
Publication
Journal
Circulation
Year
2016
Authors
D. Mozaffarian
Related Content
Claims (10)
It’s not just about eating less fat or less carbs—it’s more about whether the foods you eat are healthy (like veggies and whole grains) or unhealthy (like sugary snacks and processed meats).
Eating mostly whole, unprocessed plant foods like vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole grains is more important for preventing heart disease than worrying about whether you eat more fat or carbs.
If you swap out meat and butter for beans, nuts, and olive oil, your heart might be healthier because it helps lower bad cholesterol, reduces swelling in your body, and makes your blood vessels work better.
If you swap out meat and white bread for beans, lentils, and whole grains, your body may have less swelling and better cholesterol, which could mean fewer heart problems.
Eating too much salt—more than 2,000 mg a day—can raise your chances of having a stroke or heart problems, and when whole populations eat less salt, people’s blood pressure tends to drop and fewer people die from heart disease.