According to a new study, it looks like there are 10 influential foods that could make or break your risk of heart disease.  Ten foods that are attributed to almost half of all heart disease deaths in the United States.  Research conducted at Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy came up with this list after reviewing 16,000 individual’s surveys from 1999-2012.  During that time span, the participants kept food diaries of what they ate and then were followed during that time to assess their health.

The reason for the research was due to the fact that heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death in the United States.  In 2012, it was noted that suboptimal intake of certain dietary factors was associated with an estimated 318,656 cardiovascular disease deaths.  These dietary factors included too much sodium, low consumption of nuts/seeds, too high of an intake of processed meats, and too low of an intake of omega-3 fatty acids found in seafood.

Because of the reduced intake of certain foods and nutrients, this contributed to an estimated 45% of the cardiovascular disease deaths in 2012 such as heart disease, stroke, or type 2 diabetes. 

Therefore the research wanted to find out what specific foods are the best and the worst for either reducing or increasing the risk of heart disease.  To determine this, a comparative risk assessment model was used according to population demographics and dietary habits from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (1999-2002 and 2009-2012), using the information supplied by volunteer participants during these years.

What was found was the following:

· Eating too much sodium (more than 2000 mg/day) was attributable to 9.5% of deaths

· Eating too few nuts (less than a handful a day) was attributable to 8.5% of deaths

· Eating too much processed meat was attributable to 8.2% of deaths

· Eating too little seafood was responsible for 7.8% of the deaths.

This report does reflect what past studies have supported of what a healthy diet should be composed of for preventing heart disease – eating more nuts, fruits, vegetables, fish, whole grains, and flaxseed.  It also further enhances the strength of reducing the intake of eating too much meat, cheese, processed grains, sugar, and salt.

Here are the 10 foods that play a major role in affecting a person’s risk of developing heart disease:

6 foods to eat more of:

1. Nuts

2. Seafood rich in omega-3 fatty acids

3. Vegetables

4. Fruits

5. Whole grains

6. Polyunsaturated fats – soybean oil, corn oil, walnuts, and flaxseed oil

4 foods to eat less of:

7. Sodium

8. Processed meats

9. Sugar-sweetened beverages

10. Red meat such as steak and pork chops

By taking small steps to gradually switch from foods promoting an unhealthy heart to choosing more foods promoting heart health, this can be a big step forward in reducing the likelihood of sidestepping cardiovascular disease and reducing the risk of it.