The Best Foods You Should Eat If You Have Diabetes, Prediabetes, High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol, and Heart Disease

Learn the ideal foods to eat if you have or want to prevent diabetes, prediabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart disease.

Cardiovascular Disease, including heart attack, stroke and peripheral artery disease, occurs when clogged arteries hinder the blood supply to the organs. Clogged arteries result from a combination of damage to the arteries and plaque buildup in the arteries. Cardiovascular disease risk levels, which are modifiable, include abnormal lipid levels such as cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, smoking and a sedentary lifestyle. The non-modifiable risk factor of cardiovascular disease is family history. Addressing all the modifiable risk factors is important to prevent cardiovascular disease.  

A healthy heart diet is critical, especially if you have risk factors or cardiovascular disease. Below are foods with proven benefits for these chronic conditions. 

FoodNutrient Value Proven Benefits
Whole grains (buckwheat,  barley, sorghum, quinoa, amaranth, oatmeal, corn, millet)   Rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals  Lowers LDL “bad” cholesterol and triglycerides. Lowers risk of developing cardiovascular disease, including heart disease. Maintains steady blood sugar level and healthy weight. Risk of certain types of cancer.  
Green leafy vegetables   Rich in Vitamin K1  Reduces risk of cardiovascular disease caused by clogged arteries, such as heart disease, stroke, peripheral artery disease (Caution: If you are taking Warfarin, you need to eat the same amount of Vitamin K everyday as recommended by your doctor).  Improves bone health.  
Tomato  Rich in potassium, lycopene, Vitamin K  Reduces risk of cardiovascular disease caused by clogged arteries, such as heart disease, stroke, and peripheral artery disease.  
Avocado    Lowers bad cholesterol and raises good cholesterol.  
Beans (kidney, pinto, black bean)  Rich in fiber, vitamins, magnesium, potassium  Improves blood cholesterol.  Maintains steady blood sugar level.  Maintains healthy weight.  
Apple, Pear  Rich in fiber, Vitamin C, pectin, polyphenols    Lowers risk of death from heart disease.  
Citrus fruits (orange, grapefruit, lemon, lime)  Rich in fiber, potassium, calcium, B Vitamins, copper, anti-inflammatory phytochemicals, such as flavonoids and carotenoids    Improves blood cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood vessel function.    
Pomegranate  Rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin K, potassium, fiber, potent phytochemicals, such as anthocyanin and resveratrol    Helps keep blood sugar, blood pressure, and blood cholesterol in check.  
Stone fruits (cherry, peach, apricot, plum)  Rich in fiber, Vitamin C, potassium, variety of phytochemicals  Reduces average blood sugar.  Improves cholesterol and blood pressure.  Eating cherries reduces pain and soreness after physical activity. Reduces risk of gout attacks with cherry intake.  
Berries (strawberry, cranberry, blueberry, blackberry)  Rich in fiber, Vitamin C, phytochemicals, such as anthocyanins and ellagic acid    Lowers risk of heart disease.  Lowers risk of diabetes.  Lowers risk of Alzheimer’s disease.    
Tree nuts (walnut, almond, pistachio)  Rich in unsaturated fats, fiber, minerals   Helps control blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol. 
Fatty fish  Rich in Omega-3 fatty acids  Reduces risk of cardiovascular disease caused by clogged arteries, such as heart disease, stroke and peripheral artery disease.  
Flaxseeds and small brown seeds  Rich in fiber, Omega-3 fatty acids  Reduces risk of cardiovascular disease caused by clogged arteries, such as heart disease, stroke, and peripheral artery disease.  

The benefits of a heart-healthy diet are innumerable. Mediterranean diet and DASH diet are proven diets that keep your heart healthy and prevent cardiovascular disease, as well as, help in managing diabetes and cholesterol. Any diet that is well-balanced and nutritious includes a variety of foods that are beneficial and excludes foods that are harmful. What is most important is the overall pattern of your food choices. Treat your body right by choosing the best foods to set you up for a healthy life! 

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