The True Key to Heart Health

Recent research suggests that maintaining heart health isn’t about cutting out pasta or potatoes, and it isn’t necessarily about adhering to a low-fat diet either.

Instead of focusing on what to exclude—like reduced carbohydrates or calories—the emphasis should shift to what we are actually consuming and the quality of those ingredients.

A study involving nearly 200,000 individuals in the U.S. over the span of about 30 years indicated that not all low-fat and low-carb diets positively affect heart health in the same way.

So, what sets them apart?

The study found that it’s more about the quality of food rather than just the amount of carbs or fats consumed.

Conducted by public health researchers at Harvard University, this research suggests that diets high in processed foods and animal fats, or those lacking in sufficient vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and healthy fats, may not be as beneficial for cardiovascular health in the long run—even if they are classified as low-carb or low-fat.

“Our findings highlighted that it’s not simply about cutting carbs or fat, but it’s about the quality of foods people choose to construct those diets,” said Harvard epidemiologist Zhiyuan Wu, who led the study published in February.

Wu cautioned, “Focusing only on nutrient compositions but not food quality may not lead to health benefits.”

Participants who followed a healthy and varied diet, rich in essential macronutrients, exhibited higher levels of ‘good’ cholesterol in their blood and lower levels of fats and inflammatory markers compared to those on diets lacking in those essentials.

What’s more, they faced a significantly reduced risk of coronary heart disease, a common cause of heart attacks.

Wu also noted that “these results suggest that healthy low-carbohydrate and low-fat diets may share common biological pathways that improve cardiovascular health.”

He added, “Focusing on overall diet quality may offer flexibility for individuals to choose eating patterns that align with their preferences while still supporting heart health.”

The findings stem from self-reported diets of health professionals, which might limit generalizing the results since these individuals could have better health awareness and access to healthcare than the general public.

Nonetheless, the study’s follow-up period was quite impressive, totaling more than 5.2 million person-years.

The results align with growing evidence suggesting that reducing processed food consumption and increasing whole grains and vegetables is generally beneficial for a variety of health outcomes.

Strict diets that require counting calories, carbs, or fats may not be necessary after all.

“This study helps move the conversation beyond the long-standing debate over low-carbohydrate versus low-fat diets,” stated Yale University cardiologist Harlan Krumholz, editor-in-chief of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Krumholz emphasized, “The findings show that what matters most for heart health is the quality of the foods people eat. Whether a diet is lower in carbohydrates or fat, emphasizing plant-based foods, whole grains, and healthy fats is associated with better cardiovascular outcomes.”

This study has been published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.