This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read my full disclosure for more information.
If you’re a heart patient looking to manage your weight to improve your health, you may be wondering if popular heart healthy diets like the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet or Mediterranean diet can help.
A heart healthy diet pattern, as is the premise of both the DASH and Mediterranean diets, is a great example of how to create nutritionally balanced eating habits.
When you’re choosing nutrient dense foods often and in adequate portions, you’ll be providing your body with the nutrition it needs to support a healthy weight. In this post we’ll explore those concepts in greater detail.
Quick disclaimer—although I am a registered dietitian nutritionist, your reading of this or any articles on this website does not constitute medical nutrition therapy advice nor create a practitioner-client relationship. The information I provide here on this website is for educational and informational purposes only. Please see my full disclaimer for more information.
Highlights Whole Grains
Whole grain foods are a staple of a heart-healthy eating pattern. There are several reasons why.
First, whole grains contain all of the original nutrients. The vitamins and minerals in them are still intact, not removed and added in another form later as in the process of refining grains.
Second, whole grains contain naturally occurring fiber, in contrast to more refined grains (think whole wheat bread versus white bread).
The fiber in whole grain products can help you feel full and satisfied for longer, since a food with fiber (the whole wheat bread) takes longer to empty from the stomach than the same type of food without fiber (the white bread).
This combination of vitamins and minerals along with fiber provides your body with the nutrients it needs for the body’s cells to function properly.
So as you can see, whole grains can be great to help you manage your weight. I’d encourage you to think about where there might be room in your current eating habits to try out more whole grain options.
Need more help with this? MyPlate.gov has some helpful content.
Encourages Lean Proteins and Low-Fat Dairy Products
Protein is important for both heart health and weight management. Although we mainly think of meat, poultry, and fish as protein sources, dairy products also contain a fair amount of protein.
Like whole grains with fiber, protein foods can help you feel fuller longer because they take more time to empty from the stomach.
They also provide the building blocks for our muscles. People with greater muscle mass tend to expend more energy overall.
When you choose leaner protein sources, you’re taking in less energy, which can support a healthier weight.
(Please note, a weight that supports health will look different for everyone. I would highly encourage discussing this with your healthcare provider in regards to your specific situation.)
Leaner protein sources also contain less saturated fat, which is associated in the literature with higher LDL cholesterol levels and greater risk for heart disease. By choosing leaner protein sources, you may be able to better manage your cholesterol levels.
For more guidance on protein sources and recommended portions, visit the MyPlate.gov page.
Adds More Fruits, Vegetables, and Legumes
Fruits, vegetables, and legumes are key parts of the well known heart-friendly diets, like the DASH and Mediterranean diets.
They are good sources of fiber, just like whole grains; so they can be quite helpful in supporting a healthy weight. Their fiber content can also be helpful in lowering LDL (the “bad” cholesterol) levels.
Some resources to help you add these foods in are below:
- The Myplate.gov fruit tip sheet
- The Myplate.gov vegetable tip sheet
- The Pulses.org website recipe finder
Substitutes Heart-Healthy Fats
Another aspect of a heart healthy diet pattern is choosing heart healthy fat sources more often.
Concerns with Saturated and Trans Fats
As far as we know now, foods higher in saturated and/or trans fat are not as beneficial for the heart. They seem to play a role in increasing LDL cholesterol levels. Higher LDL cholesterol levels have been associated with greater risk for cardiovascular disease.
Saturated Fat
Sources of saturated fat include the fatty areas/marbling on meat, the skin on poultry, tropical oils (like palm and coconut) and full fat dairy.
Although full fat dairy may have more of a neutral effect on risk for heart disease, choosing lower fat dairy products may help when you’re managing your weight.
Trans Fat
Trans fats are usually listed in a product’s ingredients list as partially hydrogenated oils. While products these days should generally be free from trans fats, always double check the ingredients list to be sure.
Benefits of Mono- and Polyunsaturated Fats
An eating plan that substitutes monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (heart healthy fats) for saturated and trans fats can support both your heart and your weight.
For example, many nuts and seeds are good sources of monounsaturated fat, which may improve HDL cholesterol (the “good” cholesterol) and lower LDL (the “bad” cholesterol). They also contain some protein and fiber, which help with fullness.
As for polyunsaturated fats, one well known type is omega-3’s, which are found in certain fish, like salmon. As a whole, polyunsaturated fats may have beneficial effects on your total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglyceride levels.
The American Heart Association has a great section on fat sources if you’d like to learn more.
Reduces Added Sugar and Sodium
While not actual food groups, added sugar and sodium deserve mention in the context of a heart healthy diet and weight management. Why are they significant? Let’s discuss.
Added Sugar
When it comes to added sugar, many products with higher amounts of added sugars are usually higher in energy and lower in important nutrients. This means you may not feel as satisfied after eating them.
While these products can still fit into a nutritious eating pattern, oftentimes they may make up a larger part of your daily food and beverage choices than would be helpful in the context of heart health and weight management.
For some people, greater amounts of added sugars can negatively affect blood sugar levels (such as in diabetes) or even cholesterol levels.
For more details about added sugars, check out this page from the American Heart Association.
Sodium
Similarly to added sugars, foods with higher amounts of sodium may also contain fewer nutrients that could support a healthy heart and a healthy weight.
An example might be many restaurant foods, which are usually prepared to taste as good as possible. They often contain more sodium (and more energy) than the foods you might cook at home.
Also, as portion sizes of most restaurant foods have increased over the years, you may end up with more food on your plate than you might serve yourself at home.
It’s still perfectly possible to enjoy restaurant food from time to time. You can complement doing so with enjoying more nutrient dense food choices as often as you can.
Promotes Nutritious Foods in Appropriate Portions
Last in the list of reasons why a heart healthy diet can benefit your weight is portion management. Without awareness of adequate portions, it is possible to eat too much, even of heart healthy foods.
However, adequate portions may come a little easier when you’re eating more heart healthy foods. As mentioned before, the protein, fiber, and water content of these foods can help you feel fuller so you eat less overall.
If you need help figuring out how much of a food to eat, I’d encourage exploring the information on the MyPlate.gov website.
Conclusion
As we end our discussion on the benefits of a heart healthy diet for weight management, I hope you’ve found this information helpful. Wherever you’re at now, there’s always something you can learn and work on implementing into your meal patterns.
If you enjoyed this post, sign up for the email newsletter to be notified of future blog posts! Thanks for reading!
Updated April 16, 2025.
About the Author
