Business Insider tells the global tech, finance, stock market, media, economy, lifestyle, real estate, AI and innovative stories you want to know.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, but eating a nutritious diet can help reduce the risk.Professor Sarah Berry, a nutrition scientist who specializes in cardiovascular disease, told Business Insider that nailing the basics, for example eating plenty of whole foods and avoiding refined sugar, is most important.
"What I've learned in my 25 years of nutrition research is that you shouldn't sweat the small stuff. And that if you get the basics right, you are 95% of the way there," Berry, who is a professor at King's College London, said.One 2008 meta-analysis published in the British Medical Journal found that following a Mediterranean-style diet, filled with high-fiber fruit and veggies, healthy fats, lean proteins, and beans, could lower the risk of cardiovascular disease by up to 9%, as well as decreasing the risk of several other chronic diseases including cancer and Alzheimer's disease.That being said, it's also important to acknowledge that food is social, and it's difficult to change the way we eat. "It's part of our culture, it's part of the environment we live in," Berry said. That's why she recommends starting with some simple swaps that'll boost the nutrition profile of your meals without changing much else.If a person has too much LDL cholesterol in their blood, it can form a sticky plaque in their arteries, putting them at greater risk of heart disease. Fiber can help keep "bad" cholesterol at bay.Swapping refined carbs for their wholewheat counterparts is an easy way to eat more fiber, Berry said. For example, you could buy rye bread instead of white, use brown or wild rice instead of jasmine, or whole wheat spaghetti instead of regular.If switching entirely feels intimidating, you can start by replacing half of your portion of white rice with a wholewheat version for example, she said."The main thing is just enjoy your food," she said.Eating potatoes with the skin on is an easy way to increase the fiber content of your meal without changing the taste, Berry said.A medium potato contains about two to three grams of fiber, 7 to 10% of the daily recommended amount, but most of it comes from the skin, according to the Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health's The Nutrition Score.Berry suggested adding some legumes, such as lentils or beans, to meat-based dishes. "You take some of the meat out and you add pulses or beans so that you're still getting the meat that you want, but you are also adding some healthy fiber," she said.Eating red and processed meat regularly is consistently linked to a greater risk of heart disease, while plant-based diets, which are higher in fiber, have been found to boost heart health.In a 2023 study published in the journal JAMA Network Open, 22 pairs of identical twins were assigned either a vegan or an omnivorous diet for eight weeks. By the end of the study, the vegan twins had lower LDL cholesterol and insulin levels, and had lost more weight, another risk factor for cardiovascular disease, according to the study.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
This Week in Jacksonville: Business Edition - Bank of America leader shares 3 priorities for business ownersAs Northeast Florida heads into Q2 2026, Bank of America Jacksonville President & Southeast Regional Executive Mark Bennett says local business confidence has shifted toward growth - if owners have the right capital in place to seize opportunities.
Read more »
Dallas Cowboys Receive Major Caleb Downs Update From NFL InsiderThe Dallas Cowboys could be in position to land some star power at the No. 12 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Read more »
Lawmakers push another bill to curb prediction market insider tradingThe most recent news about crypto industry at Cointelegraph. Latest news about bitcoin, ethereum, blockchain, mining, cryptocurrency prices and more
Read more »
Insider Trading Allegations Surface Amidst Iran Conflict's Volatile MarketsMarket observers raise concerns over unusual trading activity in traditional and online prediction markets, suggesting potential insider trading related to the Iran conflict. This includes suspicious oil futures trades and profitable wagers on platforms like Polymarket.
Read more »
FC Barcelona joins Miami business boom, leaves NYC behind for Florida’s business-friendly climateMiami's One Biscayne Tower lands FC Barcelona as a new office tenant, with CP Group's Angelo Bianco saying the city offers a 'liberating' business environment.
Read more »
Can anyone police insider trading on prediction markets?Rob Wile is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist covering breaking business stories for NBCNews.com.
Read more »