By Melissa Schuster MS RDN CDN IFNCP, owner of Schuster Nutrition, PLLC
February is Heart Health Month, and with heart disease being the leading cause of death in the U.S., it feels fitting to spend this month’s post chatting about nutrition’s role in supporting your heart. A diet rich in fiber, healthy fats, lean proteins, and whole foods can help lower cholesterol, manage blood pressure, and reduce inflammation—all key factors in preventing cardiovascular disease.
How Nutrition Supports Heart Health
The food you eat directly affects your cholesterol levels, blood pressure, inflammation, and overall cardiovascular function. Here’s what we know:
- Fiber-rich foods like whole grains, beans, and vegetables help lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and improve digestion.
- Healthy fats from sources like olive oil, nuts, and fatty fish support HDL (“good”) cholesterol and help reduce inflammation.
- Lean proteins from fish, poultry, and plant-based sources provide essential nutrients without the saturated fat found in red and processed meats.
- Sodium reduction is key to keeping blood pressure in check. Most sodium in the average diet comes from processed and restaurant foods.
- Added sugar moderation helps prevent metabolic issues like type 2 diabetes, which increases the risk of heart disease.
These aren’t extreme dietary shifts—they’re simple principles that, when followed consistently, can make a big difference in long-term heart health.
How to Practically Implement These Guidelines
While it’s all well and good to understand that dietary changes can support heart health, what does this actually look like in practice?
I’ve created this Heart-Healthy Meal Plan (a free 1-week meal plan) to show you how to make these simple yet effective tweaks into your daily life, with an explanation for how each of these meals and snacks help support your cardiovascular health.
This plan is designed to align with leading cardiovascular dietary patterns, including the Mediterranean Diet, Portfolio Diet, and DASH Diet. It prioritizes whole, minimally processed foods that support heart health while being practical and sustainable for everyday life.
Key features of this plan:
✔ Rich in fiber from fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains
✔ Includes heart-healthy fats from nuts, seeds, olive oil, and avocado
✔ Emphasizes lean protein sources like fish, poultry, and plant-based proteins
✔ Limits sodium to support healthy blood pressure
✔ Incorporates plant sterols to help lower cholesterol
You can download the plan here, and keep reading for even more actionable tips that you can implement today.
Key Considerations for Heart Health
1. Lowering Saturated Fat Intake
Replacing saturated fat with healthy plant-based fats can significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. This plan keeps saturated fat below 16 grams per day, with sources coming from coconut oil, coconut yogurt, seeds, tahini, and lean proteins like chicken and fish.
2. Prioritizing Healthy Fats
A well-balanced diet includes omega-3 fatty acids (from salmon and walnuts) and monounsaturated fats (from olive oil, almonds, and avocado). Nuts and nut butter are included daily, as research links consuming five servings of nuts per week to a reduced risk of coronary heart disease events.
📌 Try This: Add a handful of nuts to your snack routine or drizzle extra virgin olive oil over roasted vegetables for an easy heart-healthy boost.
3. Boosting Fiber Intake
Adequate fiber intake is associated with lower blood pressure and reduced inflammation. This plan provides up to 45 grams of fiber per day, sourced from:
- Whole grains (oats, quinoa, whole wheat)
- Legumes (chickpeas, lentils, black beans)
- Fruits and vegetables (bananas, berries, sweet potatoes, leafy greens)
📌 Quick Tip: Start your day with oatmeal topped with berries and nuts to maximize fiber intake.
4. Keeping Sodium in Check
Excess sodium intake is linked to high blood pressure and increased cardiovascular risk. This meal plan limits sodium to less than 2,000 mg per day, with most meals providing under 1,000 mg.
📌 Actionable Swap: Use fresh herbs, citrus, and spices instead of salt to add flavor to meals.
5. Incorporating Plant Sterols
Plant sterols help lower LDL cholesterol by blocking cholesterol absorption in the gut. This plan naturally includes plant sterols through:
- Nuts and seeds
- Vegetables
- Legumes
- Whole grains
📌 Simple Addition: Snack on almonds and walnuts, both rich in plant sterols and heart-friendly fats.
Making Heart-Healthy Eating Work for You
Eating for heart health isn’t about perfection—it’s about making consistent, sustainable choices that support your long-term well-being.
💡 How to get started:
✔ Focus on whole, minimally processed foods
✔ Make small swaps—whole grains over refined grains, healthy fats over saturated fats
✔ Be mindful of sodium intake and opt for fresh, home-cooked meals
✔ Include a variety of plant-based and lean proteins
For a structured approach, check out the full Heart-Healthy Meal Plan and start incorporating heart-supportive foods into your daily routine.
If you’re looking for even more support in optimizing your nutrition and health, learn more about the 6-Week 1:1 Concierge Nutrition Bootcamp Program with Melissa Schuster, RDN.
DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this post is not, and should not be construed as, medical advice. It is provided for informational purposes only. Each individual’s situation, nutritional needs and medical situation are different, and the information contained in this post may not be appropriate for your personal situation. Always check with your own physician or medical professional before implementing any change to your lifestyle, food intake, exercise regimen or medical treatment.
© 2025 Schuster Nutrition, PLLC