Is a heart-healthy diet good for high blood pressure?

Yes. A heart healthy diet often overlaps with a diet to lower blood pressure–for example the DASH diet, which is also heart-healthy. Reducing sodium and eating more potassium-rich foods (vegetables, fruits) can help. See our DASH diet and low-sodium diet guides for more.

Heart-Healthy & Cholesterol Diet: Complete Guide

Q: What is a heart-healthy diet?

A heart-healthy diet is an eating pattern that supports cardiovascular health by emphasising vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats, and limiting saturated fat, trans fat, sodium, and added sugars. It is often recommended for people with or at risk of heart disease, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure.

Q: What is the best diet to lower cholesterol?

Evidence-based options include a low cholesterol diet (or cholesterol diet) that limits saturated and trans fats and adds soluble fibre–similar to the TLC diet. Mediterranean and DASH-style eating are also recommended. A low cholesterol diet plan or cholesterol diet plan should be tailored with your doctor or dietitian, especially if you have high cholesterol or heart disease.

Q: What can I eat on a heart-healthy diet?

Eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, fish, and lean poultry. Use healthy oils (e.g. olive oil). Limit red meat, full-fat dairy, processed foods, and foods high in sodium and added sugar. See the What to eat and what to limit section above for a full table.

Q: What is the TLC diet?

The TLC (Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes) diet is a low cholesterol diet plan designed to lower LDL cholesterol. It limits saturated fat and dietary cholesterol and emphasises soluble fibre, whole grains, and lean protein. It is often recommended alongside exercise and weight management for cardiovascular risk.

Q: Can a heart-healthy diet help with weight loss?

A heart healthy weight loss diet can work when the eating pattern helps you eat in a calorie deficit. Many heart-healthy diets are rich in fibre and whole foods that keep you full. Use a calorie or TDEE calculator to set your target and discuss with a dietitian.

Last updated: 20 February 2026

A heart-healthy diet (or heart healthy diet) is an eating pattern that supports cardiovascular health by emphasising vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats, and limiting saturated fat, trans fat, sodium, and added sugars. It is often recommended as a low cholesterol diet or cholesterol diet for people with high cholesterol, and as part of a diet to lower blood pressure for those with high blood pressure or hypertension. This guide explains what a heart-healthy diet is, how it works, what to eat and limit (including a low cholesterol diet plan and cholesterol diet plan style), potential benefits, and who should be cautious. Always discuss diet changes with your doctor, especially if you have heart disease, high cholesterol, or take medication.

Disclaimer: This page is for education only and does not replace advice from your doctor or dietitian. If you have heart disease, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure, work with your healthcare team to tailor your diet and treatment.

Below you will find the principles of a heart healthy diet plan, a diet to reduce cholesterol and support blood pressure, what to eat and avoid, benefits and risks, a sample day, and answers to common questions. You can use our calorie calculator and TDEE calculator if you combine a heart-healthy diet with a weight goal.

What is a heart-healthy diet?

A heart-healthy diet is not one single plan but a style of eating that is linked in research to better cardiovascular outcomes. It typically means more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, fish, and lean poultry; healthy oils (e.g. olive oil); and less red and processed meat, full-fat dairy, trans fats, and excess sodium and sugar. Many guidelines (e.g. AHA, ESC, NICE) recommend such patterns for the general population and for people with or at risk of heart disease, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure. A low cholesterol diet or cholesterol diet focuses especially on limiting saturated and trans fats and adding soluble fibre to help lower LDL cholesterol; a diet to lower blood pressure or hypertension diet emphasises less sodium and more potassium–overlapping with the DASH diet. A cardiac diet is a broad term for eating that supports heart health, often after a cardiac event or diagnosis.

Named plans that fit this description include the TLC diet (Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes–a low cholesterol diet plan), the Mediterranean diet, the DASH diet, the Pritikin diet, and the Ornish diet. There are no mandatory phases; you adopt a heart healthy diet plan in a way that fits your life. Some people follow a high cholesterol diet plan in reverse–i.e. they are told to avoid a high-cholesterol diet and instead follow a diet to reduce cholesterol or best diet to lower cholesterol approach, which is the same as a heart-healthy, low cholesterol diet plan.

Core principles

Eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes.
Include fish (especially oily fish), lean poultry, nuts, and seeds; limit red and processed meat.
Use healthy fats (olive oil, avocado) and limit saturated and trans fats.
Limit sodium and added sugars; avoid excess alcohol.

How the heart-healthy diet works

A heart healthy diet may help cardiovascular health by improving blood lipids (e.g. lowering LDL cholesterol with a diet to reduce cholesterol or cholesterol diet plan), supporting healthy blood pressure (e.g. diet to lower blood pressure, high blood pressure diet / hypertension diet), reducing inflammation, and helping with weight when combined with a calorie deficit. Soluble fibre (oats, legumes, fruits) can help lower cholesterol; less sodium and more potassium can help blood pressure. The TLC diet (therapeutic lifestyle changes) is one formal therapeutic diet that combines a low cholesterol diet with exercise and weight management. Evidence for best diet for heart disease reversal or best diet for heart health often points to Mediterranean-style or DASH-style eating; the Ornish diet is another option that has been studied for cardiac outcomes.

For triglycerides diet or high triglycerides diet, the same principles often apply: limit refined carbs and added sugar, choose whole foods, and manage weight. A heart healthy weight loss diet combines these principles with a calorie deficit–use our TDEE calculator to set your target. There are no phases; you follow the pattern consistently.

What to eat and what to limit on a heart-healthy diet

A low cholesterol diet and general heart-healthy eating focus on foods that support lipids and blood pressure and limit those that raise risk. The table below summarises what to emphasise and what to limit.

Eat regularly	Eat in moderation	Limit or avoid
Vegetables and fruits	Lean poultry, fish (especially oily)	Red and processed meat
Whole grains (oats, brown rice, whole-wheat)	Nuts, seeds, legumes	Full-fat dairy, butter (in excess)
Legumes (beans, lentils, chickpeas)	Olive oil, avocado	Trans fats, highly processed foods
Oily fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines)	Eggs (as part of balanced diet)	Excess sodium, sugary drinks, sweets

A cholesterol diet plan or high cholesterol diet plan (meaning a plan to address high cholesterol–i.e. a low cholesterol diet plan) typically keeps saturated fat low (e.g. <7% of calories) and adds soluble fibre. For blood pressure, reduce sodium and increase potassium-rich foods. The Mayo Clinic diet and other reputable programmes often align with these principles. If you have a specific condition (e.g. heart failure, high triglycerides), your doctor or dietitian can tailor a cardiac diet or therapeutic diet to your needs.

Potential benefits of a heart-healthy diet

Benefits are often described as “may” or “in studies”–individual results vary and diet works alongside other factors (activity, weight, medication).

Cholesterol: A diet to reduce cholesterol or best diet to lower cholesterol (e.g. TLC diet, Mediterranean-style) may help lower LDL and improve the lipid profile when combined with weight management and exercise.
Blood pressure: A diet to lower blood pressure (e.g. DASH-style, hypertension diet) can support lower blood pressure when sodium is reduced and potassium-rich foods are increased.
Heart disease risk: The best diet for heart health and best diet for heart disease reversal in guidelines often include Mediterranean and similar patterns; they may support cardiovascular risk reduction when part of a full lifestyle and medical plan.
Triglycerides: A triglycerides diet or high triglycerides diet approach typically limits refined carbs and added sugar and supports weight management.

Quality of evidence: strong for Mediterranean and DASH in trials; TLC and similar are recommended in guidelines. Diet does not replace medication when your doctor has prescribed it. Talk to your doctor about how a heart-healthy diet fits your care plan.

Risks and who should be cautious

A heart-healthy diet is generally safe for most people because it is based on whole foods and balanced eating. A few points:

Medical conditions: If you have heart disease, heart failure, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure, your doctor or dietitian may need to tailor your diet (e.g. fluid or sodium limits, specific fat targets). Do not stop or change medication without medical advice.
Nutrient balance: Any diet that severely restricts food groups can risk nutrient gaps. A balanced heart-healthy diet includes variety and is not overly restrictive.

Before starting a heart healthy diet plan or low cholesterol diet plan, especially if you have a cardiac or metabolic condition, consult your doctor or a registered dietitian.

Sample heart-healthy diet day (meal ideas)

This is one example of meals that fit a heart healthy diet–not a prescriptive plan. Adjust portions to your calorie needs.

Breakfast: Oatmeal with fruit and nuts; or whole-grain toast with avocado and a side of fruit; or yogurt with berries and a sprinkle of seeds.
Lunch: Large salad with chickpeas, olive oil, and whole-grain bread; or vegetable soup with a lean protein and whole grain; or a fish or poultry wrap with vegetables.
Dinner: Grilled or baked fish (e.g. salmon) with vegetables and brown rice or quinoa; or lean poultry or legumes with plenty of vegetables and olive oil.
Snacks: Fruit, raw vegetables, a small handful of nuts, or plain yogurt.

For more structure, use a heart healthy diet plan, low cholesterol diet plan, or cholesterol diet plan from a heart association, your doctor, or a dietitian. The Pritikin diet and Ornish diet offer structured programmes; the Mayo Clinic diet and similar resources also align with heart-healthy principles. For blood pressure focus, see our DASH diet and low-sodium diet guides.

Frequently asked questions about the heart-healthy diet

A heart-healthy diet is an eating pattern that supports cardiovascular health by emphasising vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats, and limiting saturated fat, trans fat, sodium, and added sugars. It is often recommended for people with or at risk of heart disease, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure.

Evidence-based options include a low cholesterol diet that limits saturated and trans fats and adds soluble fibre–similar to the TLC diet. Mediterranean and DASH-style eating are also recommended. A low cholesterol diet plan should be tailored with your doctor or dietitian, especially if you have high cholesterol or heart disease.

Eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, fish, and lean poultry. Use healthy oils (e.g. olive oil). Limit red meat, full-fat dairy, processed foods, and foods high in sodium and added sugar. See the “What to eat and what to limit” section above for a full table.

Yes. A heart healthy diet often overlaps with a diet to lower blood pressure–for example the DASH diet. Reducing sodium and eating more potassium-rich foods (vegetables, fruits) can help. See our DASH diet and low-sodium diet guides for more.

The TLC (Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes) diet is a low cholesterol diet plan designed to lower LDL cholesterol. It limits saturated fat and dietary cholesterol and emphasises soluble fibre, whole grains, and lean protein. It is often recommended alongside exercise and weight management for cardiovascular risk.

A heart healthy weight loss diet can work when the eating pattern helps you eat in a calorie deficit. Many heart-healthy diets are rich in fibre and whole foods that keep you full. Use our calorie calculator and TDEE calculator to set your target and discuss with a dietitian.

Summary

A heart-healthy diet emphasises vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats and limits saturated fat, trans fat, sodium, and added sugars. It is often used as a low cholesterol diet or cholesterol diet (diet to reduce cholesterol, best diet to lower cholesterol) and as part of a diet to lower blood pressure (high blood pressure diet, hypertension diet). The TLC diet, Mediterranean, and DASH patterns are evidence-based options; the cardiac diet, Pritikin diet, and Ornish diet are other heart-focused approaches. Work with your doctor or dietitian if you have heart disease or high cholesterol. Use our calorie calculator and TDEE calculator if you combine a heart-healthy diet with weight goals. For more, see our Mediterranean diet, DASH diet, and low-sodium diet guides.