The 2 Nutrient Additions Lipid Specialists Are Begging Men Over 35 To Prioritize for Heart Health
Heart disease remains the top killer in America, but for men, the clock starts ticking seven years earlier than for women. Data shows cardiovascular issues start climbing at age 35 and persist through midlife. While you can’t change your genetics, the real power to reduce risk lies in your lifestyle choices like sleep quality, regular exercise, and what’s on your plate.
Food is easily the most debated piece of the heart health puzzle. But while your diet plays a massive role, no single ingredient or food group is the sole villain. It’s your daily patterns and consistency that actually move the needle.
The Unsung Hero of Nutrition Most Men are Completely Missing
F is for fiber. Fiber is the unsung hero of nutrition and health. If protein is Batman, fiber is Robin—the important counterpart that gets overshadowed.
Fiber is one of the most crucial nutrients when it comes to heart health and, really, overall health. But with diets dominated by simple, refined, and usually fiber-free carbohydrates, it’s a big missing piece to that puzzle.
In recent years, the fibermaxing trend has brought this essential nutrient back into the limelight. And although trends like fibermaxxing have brought this essential nutrient back into the limelight, only about six percent of Americans meet their daily fiber goal of 25 to 35 grams.
So why is it so important? Fiber’s sticky texture binds to cholesterol by acting as a sponge to help excrete it. Regular fiber intake also reduces the risk of colon cancer, high blood pressure, and high blood glucose, among other things. It’s truly incredible.
How One Small Food Swap Slashes Cholesterol by 10 Percent
One study published in the journal Nutrients found that the substitution of six to eight ounces/week of protein foods with one and a half to two cups/week of pulses (lentils, beans, dry peas, and chickpeas) decreased total cholesterol by 10 percent. That’s a lot for the single addition of one food, showing how it doesn’t take a lot to make a big change. Pulses (and fiber) for the win.
Related: This Is the Best Fiber-Rich Snack for Heart Health, According to a Cardiologist
Easy Fiber Forward Swaps
- Add ½ cup of canned beans to your latest “slop bowls”, soups, tacos, salads, etc
- Instead of chips, try a handful of nuts
- Instead of plain eggs, add a veggie (or two)
- Pair your favorite protein with a side of fruits or veggies
- Instead of a plain protein smoothie, add your favorite frozen fruits and veggies and a soluble fiber powder
The Two Fiber Supplements I Use to Fill the Gaps
Two words: Soluble fiber.
Soluble fiber has unique benefits when it comes to lipids and cardiovascular health. We get soluble fiber mostly from foods like oats, beans, fruits, and veggies, and I also regularly complement what I get in foods with one of two products I’m loving. NOW Foods has a pure psyllium husk product that provides seven grams of soluble fiber, and I often add it to my shakes or mix it in my oatmeal or yogurt.
Another one I often implement is called Momentous Fiber+, which provides a combination of psyllium husk, resistant starch, and some insoluble fiber from rice bran to provide six grams of fiber total. Both are great, but of course, neither should ever replace fiber-rich food sources and instead can certainly complement them. Your lipids (and heart) will thank you.
Moral of the fiber story? Swap out fiber-free, refined carb sources for more fiber-rich sources, and look for where you can add fiber-rich options to your daily diet.
Why Choosing the Right Fat Is a Game Changer for Your Heart
Here’s another key factor in terms of heart health: Fat.
Now that may sound weird, but it’s all in the quality of the fat. The right fats are amazingly healthy and wonderful for you. It’s not about blindly adding more fat or drinking shots of olive oil, as I’ve heard some suggest. But diets higher in unsaturated fats are better than ones higher in saturated fat and can lower your risk of cardiovascular disease. That means choosing more unsaturated fat-rich plant-based oils rather than more saturated fats like butter, coconut oil, and beef tallow.
Ohio State University Professor and researcher Martha Belury, PhD, RD adds “One 2020 systematic review found that a higher intake of polyunsaturated fats, including plant based oils like canola, soy, olive, sunflower and avocado oils, resulted in a 13 percent lower risk of total mortality, 13percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease and 11 percent lower risk of cancer mortality.”
If that’s not convincing, I’m not sure what is.
Along with butter, coconut oil, and beef tallow, saturated fats are also found in foods like bacon, sausage, and other higher-fat meats. Therefore, swapping in leaner cuts of red meats, pork, chicken, turkey, and seafood more often is wise.
Seafood in particular is a rich source of omega-3 fats—a type of fat that beef, chicken, and pork don’t provide much of—and is another type of unsaturated fat that is amazing for your heart and health. Yet data suggest up to 95 percent of Americans don’t meet their omega-3 requirements.
“Omega-3 fats play a critical role in the proper function and health of the heart. Brain and heart have significant amounts of omega-3 that must be supplied by diet because we make very little of them on our own,” adds Doug Bibus, PhD, lipid specialist and omega-3 expert. “A diet rich in fish and omega-3 fats has consistently been associated with improved heart health.”
Increasing your daily and weekly intake of omega-3 may be as simple as a few fish servings per week and a daily omega-3 supplement.
How to Finally Move the Needle on Your Heart Health
Fiber and unsaturated fats are ingredients in the bigger picture of a person's diet that are critical in terms of their role in heart health. If you simply made the swap to increase both of those and decrease some of their less heart-friendly options, it would go a long way to improve the health of your heart.
Eat more fruit, more veggies, pulses, and other whole grains for their fiber and other nutrients. Consider adding a psyllium husk supplement. Swap butter, tallow, and coconut oil with plant-based oils and enjoy more seafood, and consider adding a quality omega-3 supplement.
Try these, get your blood tested, and your ticker will thank you.
Related: I’m a Dietitian. This Is the One Food I’m Trying to Eat More Often