What Are the ‘Magnificent Six’?
Researchers have identified six foods that could be your heart’s best friends: fruits, vegetables, legumes (like beans and lentils), nuts, fish, and whole-fat dairy products.
According to a new study from McMaster University and Hamilton Health Sciences, not including enough of these six foods in your diet could increase your risk of heart disease.
But don’t worry, you can still eat moderate amounts of whole grains and unprocessed meats and keep your heart in good shape!
Why This Study Stands Out
Most of the previous research focused mainly on Western diets, which often include both good and bad foods. This new study takes a worldwide view.
Heart disease is a global problem, killing almost 18 million people in 2019 alone, according to the World Health Organization. That’s about one-third of all deaths around the world.
The study examined the eating habits of 245,000 people from 80 different countries and shared its findings in the European Heart Journal.
The researchers used information from an ongoing global study called the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiological (PURE) study.
They also checked their results against five other studies to make sure their findings applied to people everywhere, whether or not they had a history of heart disease.
Unlike other diet plans that mix good and bad foods, the PURE Healthy Diet Score only focuses on natural foods that are good for you.
Balance is Key: Here’s Your Meal Plan
What’s the best way to use this information in your daily life? The study suggests that you should aim to eat two to three servings of fruits and the same amount of vegetables every day.
Add to that one serving of nuts and two servings of dairy. During the week, try to get in three to four servings of legumes and two to three servings of fish.
If you like, you can also include one daily serving of whole grains and one of unprocessed red meat or poultry.
In other words, a balanced diet of these ‘magnificent six’ foods, with some room for other heart-friendly options, can help keep your heart healthy and reduce the risk of disease.
So, go ahead and add these foods to your shopping list. Your heart will thank you!
If you care about heart health, please read studies about Night-time use of this drug may increase heart damage risk and findings of a sweet solution for obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
For more information about heart disease, please see recent studies about Common pain relief drug may increase heart disease risk and results showing that Statin alternative reduces heart disease risk, cholesterol levels.
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