A new study reveals that introducing two servings of fatty fruit a week can reduce the risk of heart attack.
One person dies every 36 seconds in the United States from cardiovascular disease according to the CDC. The World Health Organization reports that globally, around 17.9 million people die from cardiovascular disease every year.
A 30-year-long survey conducted by health organizations including Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up tracked more than 60,000 women and 40,000 men, with a focus on reducing the the risk of heart disease and heart attack. During this study, the participates who ate two servings of fatty fruits once a week had amazing results.
Some participants traded butter, cheese and processed meats for healthier fats, while others didn’t change their over all diets much, but added the fatty fruits. But all participants saw results, with many lowering their risk of heart attacks by 16%-22%.
Experts admit that there’s no single food solution to combating heart attacks and chronic diseases, but a healthy shift in one’s diet can have tremendous effects in the long run. Here are some fatty fruits to add to your weekly menu.
Avocados
While most fruits have a high carb content, Avocados are 80% fat — about 29 grams per fruit. Avocado is one of the easiest fatty fruits to add to your diet. In addition to eating the fruit itself, you can use avocado butter and oil in the place of more traditional fats.
Olives
One green olive contains one gram of fat. Olives are also packed with vitamin E, calcium and iron and more, all of which have health benefits. When thinking about introducing olives to your weekly routine, try to avoid canned olives as they tend to be packed in brine, which is high in sodium.
Coconut meat
According to Healthline, coconut meat can help with heart health as well as weight loss. Ot also acts as a digestive aide, benefits brain health and may help stabilize blood sugar.
Diets high in healthy fats
If you prefer a more comprehensive diet, there are several popular diets that feature lots of healthy fats. These three come highly recommended by Forbes Health professionals.
- Mediterranean Diet: The Mediterranean diet is ranked #1 for best heart health diets of 2022. It’s rich in fresh fruits and vegetables with a focus on healthy fats. Studies show that those who follow the Mediterranean diet have a 50-70% lower chance of recurrent heart disease. With this diet you’ll have a limit of red meats, processed meats and sweets.
- DASH Diet: DASH — aka Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension — was created specifically to improve heart health. The diet puts an emphasis on low sodium intake, which is great for blood pressure control. Some studies show that this diet can help decrease systolic blood pressure and reduce heart failure.
- Ornish Diet: Created by Dean Ornish M.D., this diet helps prevent heart disease and may even reverse it. This diet focuses more on plant-based foods, limiting meats, sugars, refined carbs, white flour and rice.
Before starting any diet make sure to consult your doctor to see which is best-especially if you’re on medication.
For more content like this, sign up for the Pulse newsletter here.
About the Author
