American Heart Association names 'DASH Diet' the best for heart health

Doctors say while medication might be needed, heart health also depends on what people eat.

Rose Shannon and Gillian Neff

Apr 29, 2023, 2:23 PM

Updated 586 days ago

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The American Heart Association has released the top three diets to help with heart health.
Doctors say while medication might be needed, heart health also depends on what people eat.
Officials ranked the "DASH Diet" as the best diet. DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. It calls for people to focus on whole grains, fruits and vegetables and moderately eat lean protein including eggs and low-fat dairy.
It also recommends limiting salt and sweets and no alcohol.
The Pescatarian Diet – vegetarian diet with the addition of seafood – ranked second. The Mediterranean Diet – which is similar to the DASH diet – came in third. Those following the Mediterranean Diet do not have to limit their salt intake and are recommended to have small glass of red wine every day.
Officials say they established the ranks to give doctors clear nutrition guidance to share with patients. They also suggest people speak with their doctor to determine which diet is best for them.