The American Heart Association (AHA) released updated dietary guidance on March 31, 2026, in the journal Circulation to promote cardiovascular health and reduce heart disease risk. The statement emphasizes overall eating patterns rather than single nutrients or foods, encourages starting healthy habits early and keeping them across the life course, and stresses flexibility, cultural sensitivity, and practicality in all settings — home, restaurants, schools, and workplaces.
The AHA outlines nine essential features of dietary patterns that support heart health:
Balance Energy Intake and Expenditure
Maintain a healthy body weight by matching calorie intake to activity level. Older children and adolescents should aim for about 60 minutes of daily physical activity; adults should strive for at least 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity weekly plus muscle-strengthening exercises.
Eat Plenty of Vegetables and Fruits
Consume a wide variety of whole or minimally processed vegetables and fruits for fiber and key nutrients. Frozen or canned options are acceptable if they have no added sugars or excess sodium.
Choose Whole Grains Over Refined Grains
Prefer whole grains such as oats, brown rice, quinoa, and whole wheat. Whole grains provide fiber and nutrients linked with lower risks of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
Opt for Healthy Protein Sources
Shift toward plant-based proteins like legumes and nuts, which provide fiber and healthy fats. Eat fish and seafood regularly for omega-3s. Choose low-fat or fat-free dairy over full-fat versions. If eating red meat, pick lean cuts, avoid processed meats, and limit portion sizes.
Replace Saturated Fats with Unsaturated Fats
Use nontropical plant oils — for example, olive, canola, and soybean oils — instead of animal fats (butter, beef fat) and tropical oils (coconut, palm oil) to lower LDL cholesterol and reduce heart disease risk.
Favor Minimally Processed Foods Over Ultra-processed Foods
Ultra-processed foods, heavily altered with added sugars, sodium, and preservatives, are associated with obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Choosing whole or minimally processed foods supports better health.
Limit Added Sugars
Minimize added sugars in foods and beverages, which contribute to obesity and increased heart disease risk. Avoid sugary drinks and be mindful of sweeteners added during cooking or processing.
Reduce Sodium Intake
High sodium intake raises blood pressure, a major heart disease risk factor. Choose low-sodium foods, use little or no salt when cooking, and increase potassium-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables to help balance blood pressure.
Be Cautious with Alcohol
Non-drinkers should not start drinking for health reasons. Alcohol can raise blood pressure even at low levels and increase the risk of certain cancers. Avoid binge and heavy drinking; limit intake if you drink.
Practical advice and implementation
The AHA stresses making heart-healthy choices the easiest options everywhere and recommends gradual change. Jodi Myers, MD, medical advisor at Amie, warned against trying to change everything at once: “Sustainability comes from stacking changes, not switching overnight.” She suggested two easy first steps with large impact: swap refined grains for whole grains (for example, brown rice and whole wheat bread) and add a serving of vegetables. Those changes improve fiber intake, glycemic control, and micronutrient density without requiring new recipes.
After that, switch solid fats for liquid plant oils like olive oil and aim for two fish meals per week. The AHA’s guidance on alcohol now emphasizes that non-drinkers should not begin drinking; Myers advises people who do drink to track intake for a week before changing habits because consumption is often underestimated.
For processed foods, a practical rule of thumb is: if you can’t identify the original food source by looking at the ingredient list, find an alternative. The guidance aligns with dietary advice for other chronic diseases — including diabetes, cancer prevention, and kidney disease — so benefits extend beyond cardiovascular health.
The AHA concludes that these recommendations are a direction, not a destination. Perfection is unnecessary: consistent adherence to four or five of the nine features can meaningfully reduce heart disease risk.
