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People worried about their heart health must often change their diet to lose weight, get blood sugar under control and lower cholesterol levels.<\/p>\n
So what\u2019s the best way to eat to prevent heart disease?<\/p>\n
Dr. James Stone, a cardiologist at the South Heart Clinic in Harlingen, Texas, calls dieting \u201cthe biggest mental warfare we\u2019ve ever been taught\u201d because many of his patients think they have to eat low-calorie, low-fat meals that aren\u2019t satisfying \u2014 an eating regimen that can\u2019t be sustained, he says.<\/p>\n
The doctor is less concerned about fats and calories than one particular group of foods.<\/p>\n
Stone defines this as added sugar, excess salt, white bread, white rice, white flour and white pasta.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have one rule: I don\u2019t touch white. Everything I eat is fruits, nuts, proteins, vegetables. And there are only three liquids: water, black coffee, unsweetened tea,\u201d Stone tells TODAY.com<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople get confused. Like, \u2018OK, doc, don\u2019t eat white \u2014 not even eggs or cauliflower?\u2019 That\u2019s not what I\u2019m talking about. I\u2019m talking about the high-starch foods.\u201d<\/p>\n
A diet high in added sugar<\/a> raises the risk of high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, cancer and premature death, a review of studies<\/a> found.<\/p>\n Eating too much added sugar can also contribute to health problems such as weight gain, obesity and Type 2 diabetes, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a> notes.<\/p>\n A bit of salt<\/a> is necessary for good health, but most Americans consume too much. Excess salt<\/a> can cause water retention, increasing blood volume and putting extra pressure on the arteries, says registered dietitian Natalie Rizzo, nutrition editor for TODAY.<\/p>\n Refined grains, like white rice or white bread, are missing parts of the whole grain<\/a>, she adds, a process that removes about a quarter of the protein and at least half of the nutrients, like antioxidants and fiber, according to the Whole Grains Council<\/a>. Refined carbs are digested quickly, leading to a blood sugar spike, registered dietitian Samantha Cassetty notes<\/a>.<\/p>\n People should \u201cprioritize fiber-rich whole grains and significantly reduce the consumption of highly processed, refined carbohydrates that displace real nourishment,\u201d the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (2025-2030)<\/a> advise.<\/p>\n Eating whole grains, rather than refined grains, can help prevent cardiovascular disease, a review of studies<\/a> found.<\/p>\n \u201cLook at your plate. (If) you see white bread, pasta, rice, flour, sugar, salt, you\u2019re in a bad way. You\u2019re going to slowly get diabetes and come to a cardiologist, and we\u2019re going to have issues,\u201d Stone says.<\/p>\n Fill your diet with whole foods, Stone advises.<\/p>\n That means natural, unprocessed or minimally processed foods such as vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, meats, eggs, whole grains, beans, dairy and seafood, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (2025-2030)<\/a>.<\/p>\n These foods are full of nutrients and often provide fiber, including soluble fiber, which can help lower LDL cholesterol<\/a>.<\/p>\n Also look for color, choosing a vibrant orange sweet potato over a white potato<\/a>, for example, Stone advises.<\/p>\n The pigments in fruits or vegetables signal plant compounds that have \u201cpowerful antioxidant activity,\u201d researchers note<\/a>. Of course, there are plenty of whole foods that have a white color and are highly nutritious such as cauliflower, onions, fennel, garlic and many more.<\/p>\n Hundreds of years ago, humans walked everywhere; ate fruits, nuts and vegetables; and occasionally ate meat if they were able to hunt it, Stone points out.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is how we were engineered to be. What happened is we got lost, and we started eating white,\u201d the cardiologist says.<\/p>\n \u201cStop eating white. That\u2019s my rule.\u201d<\/p>\nHow to Get Started<\/strong><\/h2>\n