American Heart Association ranks popular diets when it comes to heart health

Several poplar diet approaches get a passing grade for being heart-healthy, according to a scientific statement from the American Heart Association (AHA), but others are off-target. The statement appeared in Circulation and offered scores for 10 key eating patterns meant to be followed for long-term. The scores reflect how well they support cardiometabolic health. It stated a heart healthy diet emphasizes limiting both unhealthy fats and carbohydrates to support heart health and general metabolic health, as well as reduce the risk of conditions such as type 2 diabetes and obesity. The diets studied were evaluated against 9 of the 10 features of the AHA’s guidance for a heart-healthy eating pattern and got scores from 31 to 100. Here are the four ranking tiers: Tier 1: The highest ranking (scores over 85). The highest scorer was the DASH-style eating pattern which got 100. This consists of meals low in: salt, sugar, alcohol, tropical oils and processed foods. They are rich in non-starchy vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes. Most protein is from plant sources (such as legumes, beans or nuts), along with fish or seafood, lean poultry and meats, and low-fat or fat-free dairy products. Also falling into Tier 1 was the Mediterranean-style diet. Pescatarian and vegetarian diets which include eggs, dairy also landed here. Tier 2. Vegan and low-fat diets (scores 75-85). These emphasize eating vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes and nuts, and limit alcohol and foods and beverages with added sugar. Downsides are: risk of vitamin B-12 deficiency and they tend to treat all fats equally. Tier 3: Very low-fat and low-carb (scores 55-74). These diets lost points for restricting nuts and healthy (non-tropical) plant oils. These diets can lead to deficiencies of vitamin B-12, essential fatty acids and protein. Low-carb diets restrict fruits (due to sugar content), grains and legumes. By restricting carbohydrates, people tend to eat less fiber and increase saturated fat. Tier 4: Paleolithic and Very low-carb/Ketogenic diets (scores less than 55). These don’t align with the AHA’s dietary guidance. Studies show that at six months people may see improvements in body weight and blood sugar—but over time most improvements were no better than what is seen from less restrictive diets. Also, eating high levels of saturated fat and low levels of fiber are linked to the development of cardiovascular disease.

American Heart Association ranks popular diets when it comes to heart health

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