Eat THIS to Cut Your Risk for Heart Disease by 41 Percent

The next time you’re in a crowd, take a good look around. One in four of those people will die from heart disease. It’s the leading cause of death in the United States and claims the lives of about 635,000 people a year. And it doesn’t have to be that way.

Heart disease isn’t a fast developing chronic disease. In most cases, it develops from years of bad habits such as making bad food choices, lack of exercise, gaining weight, rising blood pressure, and other lifestyle factors. A family history of heart disease can increase your risk, too.

But for most people, one simple change to eating habits can dramatically reduce the risk for heart disease. Want to know what it is?

Eat a plant-based diet. In a recent study on foods that reduce heart disease published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, researchers found that eating a plant-based diet can cut your risk for heart disease by 41 percent..

Translation...this is what you should be eating if you want to cut your risk for heart disease. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, legumes, and fish

If you’re eating the typical American diet right now, your diet probably looks more like this: Burgers, fries, pizza, deep-fried foods, processed meats, desserts, and sugary drinks. It’s a high-calorie, high-sugar, high-sodium diet that raises your risk for obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and a long list of other health problems.

Want to buck the trend, improve your health and live longer? Eat more plant-based foods. Even if you don’t want to become a vegetarian, making adjustments to your diet will make a difference.

Wondering what heart-healthy meals look like? Just take a look at the Low-Sodium menu options to help you get started.