3 healthy food swaps to protect your heart, according to a dietitian who studies how simple habits can prevent disease

"Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 cause of death in the US, but research has found that eating a Mediterranean-style diet and being physically active can help lower the risk. The American Heart Association's dietary guidelines recommend prioritizing fresh produce, whole grains, lean proteins such as fish, and limiting ultra-processed foods and refined sugar. That may sound like a lot, but Matthew Landry told Business Insider that you don't necessarily need to overhaul your diet to improve your heart health."

"Here are his three suggestions: 1) Switch from cooking with butter to olive oil Landry's first swap relates to the type of fat used for cooking. He suggests switching butter or lard for heart-healthy fats like olive oil or avocado oil. "We're not necessarily changing the food, we're just changing how we're sometimes preparing it," he said. Animal products and full-fat dairy products like beef tallow, butter, and cream contain saturated fat, which can drive up our LDL or "bad" cholesterol levels, Landry said."

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the US. Eating a Mediterranean-style diet and regular physical activity can lower cardiovascular risk. Dietary guidelines prioritize fresh produce, whole grains, and lean proteins such as fish while limiting ultra-processed foods and refined sugar. Small, deliberate food swaps can improve heart health without overhauling a diet. Replacing butter or lard with olive oil or avocado oil and choosing chicken over red meat can reduce saturated fat intake. Saturated fats raise LDL ("bad") cholesterol, which contributes to arterial plaque. Unsaturated fats from avocados, fatty fish, nuts, and olive oil do not raise LDL to the same extent.

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