The way you live, move, manage stress, and eat plays a powerful role in protecting your heart. This Heart Week, we’re encouraging you to never miss a beat by making small, simple steps to look after your heart.
Making informed food choices is one of the most effective and immediate actions you can take, and while there’s no single magic food, regularly including heart-friendly ingredients as part of a healthy eating pattern can help you manage cholesterol and blood pressure.
What to Add to Your Plate
- Whole grains – foods like oats, whole grain bread, and barley are rich in fibre and nutrients.
Whole grain foods like oats contain beta-glucan, a soluble fibre shown to lower LDL cholesterol1. - Healthy fats – avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil provide monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats that help reduce heart disease risk.
- Plant-based proteins –legumes, tofu, and nuts are associated with benefits for the cardiovascular system2.
- Fruits and vegetables – fruit and vegetables are naturally low in sodium and high in potassium, fibre, and antioxidants that support a healthy heart.
Start With Breakfast
An easy place to start is by adding heart-friendly foods to the first meal of your day.
Under 15 minutes
Quick, easy and ready to eat in 15 minutes or less.
Apple and Honey Nut Crumble Porridge
Image courtesy of the National Heart Foundation of Australia ABN 98 008 419 761. All rights reserved.
Meal Prep Breakfast
While these meals take a little more time to prepare, they’re perfect for meal prep or a relaxed weekend breakfast.
Grab and Go Overnight Oats
Image courtesy of the National Heart Foundation of Australia ABN 98 008 419 761. All rights reserved.
Take Action This Heart Week
Small Steps – start incorporating more heart health foods into your diet to support heart health over time.
Book a Heart Health Check – if you’re 45+ (or 30+ for First Nations people), talk to your GP about a check-up.
Start a Conversation – encourage friends and family to take steps for their heart health too.
Learn more about Heart Week here.
References:
1. Sima, P., Vannucci, L., & Vetvicka, V. (2018). β-glucans and cholesterol (Review). International journal of molecular medicine, 41(4), 1799–1808. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.2018.3411
2. Mendes, V., et al. (2023). Intake of legumes and cardiovascular disease: A systematic review and dose–response meta-analysis. Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases, 33(1), 22–37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.numecd.2022.09.009