Heart-Friendly Diets for Nutrition and Hydration Week

By: Trademagazin Date: 2025. 03. 18. 10:40

Some diets have been scientifically proven to protect the health of the cardiovascular system. These include the Mediterranean diet, the DASH diet for high blood pressure, some versions of plant-based diets and the lesser-known HND, the healthy Scandinavian diet, which was born in the spirit of modern food-based dietary recommendations and sustainability, with a preference for local foods. The Hungarian nutritional recommendation, the SMART PLATE® developed by the National Association of Hungarian Dietitians, is also based on this, and this is what the professional organization’s Facebook and Instagram posts this week on the occasion of the international Nutrition and Hydration Week are about.

However, just because a diet is sustainable does not automatically make it heart-friendly!

What the different heart-protective diets have in common:

They help maintain or regain a healthy body weight.

They contain a lot of vegetables and fruits.

Brightly colored vegetables and fruits typically have a higher content of heart-protective nutrients (e.g. antioxidants, vitamins). A varied and abundant intake of them, fresh or even frozen, can contribute to a more balanced nutritional intake.

Among grain products, whole grains, which are richer in dietary fiber, are recommended.

Whole grains are good sources of dietary fiber. Research has shown favorable associations between adequate fiber intake and the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and metabolic syndrome (overweight or obesity; high blood pressure; elevated blood lipid values; elevated-high blood sugar levels). Adequate fiber consumption also has a favorable effect on the intestinal microbiota and the transport of intestinal contents.