Eating for your heart: a practical guide

Simple, evidence-based heart-healthy eating: Mediterranean-style and DASH patterns, less sodium, more fibre, better fats, labels and eating out.

6 min read · last reviewed September 28, 2026

Food is one of the most powerful tools you have for your heart, and one you use every day. The good news is that heart-healthy eating isn't about giving up everything you love or following a strict diet. It's about your overall pattern: what you eat most of the time.

Small, steady changes add up. Here is how to start.

The big picture: a Mediterranean-style or DASH pattern

Two eating patterns have strong evidence behind them for heart health.

• Mediterranean-style eating is built on vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans and lentils, nuts, olive oil and fish, with less red and processed meat. In a large study of people who already had heart disease, those who followed a Mediterranean-style diet had fewer heart attacks, strokes and other heart problems over about 7 years than those on a low-fat diet.
• DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) is rich in vegetables, fruit, whole grains, low-fat dairy, beans and nuts, and low in sodium, sweets and red meat. It is proven to lower blood pressure.

Both share the same core ideas. A simple way to picture it: fill half your plate with vegetables and fruit, a quarter with whole grains, and a quarter with protein foods like fish, beans, tofu, chicken or eggs. Make water your usual drink.

Something you can do: Add one extra serving of vegetables to one meal today.

Cut back on sodium (salt)

Too much sodium can raise blood pressure, which strains your heart. Most people eat far more than they need, often without knowing it.

• The American Heart Association recommends no more than 2,300 mg of sodium a day (about one teaspoon of salt), and ideally closer to 1,500 mg for many adults, especially people with high blood pressure. Ask your team what target is right for you.
• Most sodium comes from packaged, prepared and restaurant foods, not the salt shaker. Big sources include deli meats, canned soups, frozen meals, sauces, bread, cheese, pizza and salty snacks.

Realistic swaps:

• Canned soup → homemade soup, or a "low sodium" version
• Deli meat sandwich → leftover home-cooked chicken, or egg or bean fillings
• Salty snacks → unsalted nuts, fruit, or plain popcorn
• Salt at the table → lemon, garlic, pepper, herbs or salt-free spice blends
• Canned beans or vegetables → "no salt added," or rinse them well

Your taste buds adjust. After a few weeks, lower-salt food starts to taste normal.

Eat more fibre

Fibre helps you feel full, supports healthy bowels, and some kinds (soluble fibre) can help lower cholesterol. Most adults need about 25 to 38 grams a day, but many get only about half that.

Good sources: oats, barley, beans, lentils, chickpeas, vegetables, fruit, whole-grain bread and pasta, brown rice, nuts and seeds.

Realistic swaps:

• White bread → 100% whole-grain bread
• Sugary cereal → oatmeal topped with fruit
• Add a handful of beans or lentils to soups, salads and pasta sauce

Increase fibre slowly and drink plenty of fluids.

Choose better fats

The type of fat matters more than the total amount.

• Choose more: olive oil, canola oil, avocado, nuts, seeds and fish. Fatty fish like salmon, trout, sardines and mackerel give you omega-3 fats. Try to have fish about twice a week.
• Choose less: saturated fat from fatty and processed meats, butter, lard, coconut and palm oil, and many baked goods and fast foods.
• Avoid: trans fats (listed as "partially hydrogenated oil" in older or imported products).

Realistic swaps: Cook with olive or canola oil instead of butter. Choose chicken, fish or beans more often than red or processed meat.

Alcohol

If you don't drink, there's no health reason to start. If you do, less is better. Canada's Guidance on Alcohol and Health says 2 standard drinks or fewer a week is low risk, and risks keep rising with each extra drink. Alcohol can also raise blood pressure and interact with some medicines. Ask your team what's safe for you.

Reading food labels

The Nutrition Facts table (Canada) or Nutrition Facts label (U.S.) can help you compare foods quickly.

• Check the serving size first. All the numbers are for that amount.
• Use the % Daily Value (%DV). In Canada, 5% DV or less is "a little" and 15% or more is "a lot." In the U.S., 5% or less is low and 20% or more is high.
• Look for less sodium, saturated fat and sugars.
• Look for more fibre.
• Scan the ingredient list. Ingredients are listed from most to least. Look for "whole grain" near the start.

Something you can do: Next time you shop, compare the sodium in two brands of the same food and pick the lower one.

Eating out

You can still enjoy restaurants and takeout.

• Check nutrition information online before you go, if it's available.
• Ask for sauces and dressings on the side.
• Choose grilled, baked or steamed instead of fried.
• Swap fries for a salad or vegetables.
• Share a main dish, or take half home.
• Go easy on bread baskets, soups and cured meats, which are often salty.

Be kind to yourself

Changing how you eat takes time. Aim for progress, not perfection. Try one or two changes at a time, and involve the people you live with. A registered dietitian, often part of cardiac rehab, can help you build a plan that fits your culture, budget and tastes.

Questions to ask your care team

• How much sodium should I aim for each day?
• Can you refer me to a registered dietitian?
• Do any of my medicines interact with foods or drinks, such as grapefruit or alcohol?
• Is it safe for me to drink alcohol? How much?
• Should I be tracking my weight, blood pressure or blood sugar at home?

This article is general information, not medical advice. Talk with your health care team about your own situation. In an emergency, call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number.

In an emergency, call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number.

General information, not medical advice. It does not replace your own care team. If you think you or someone else is having a medical emergency, call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number. If you are in crisis or thinking about suicide, call or text 9-8-8 (Canada and the US).

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