Eating a vegetarian diet generally means eating a diet that does not include meat, but some vegetarians choose to consume fish in their diet. Another subset of vegetarians, called vegans, avoid eating any animal products in their diet, including dairy, cheese and honey. Pretty much all vegetarian formats are considered to be more heart healthy than meat-based diets.
The Basics
A vegetarian diet is generally lower in overall calories than a meat-based diet because as a vegetarian, you tend to consume foods based in plants, and plants tend to contain fewer calories--although this is not the case if you are a vegetarian who consumes a significant amount of junk food and high-calorie snacks. Eating fewer calories in your overall diet can help you maintain a healthy weight, and being at a healthy weight can help keep your heart healthy.
Consideration
Vegetarians who consume a significant amount of dairy products might not be doing their heart a favor. Dairy products are high in saturated fat and cholesterol, which have been linked to an increased risk of heart disease. It is important to remember when consuming a vegetarian diet that plant based sources of protein are available that do not contain the unhealthy saturated fat and cholesterol found in dairy and eggs. Therefore, when eating heart-healthy vegetarian fare, limit your intake of dairy products and eggs and increase your intake of nuts, soy products, beans, seeds and tofu.
Significance
Consumption of omega-3 fatty acids plays a role in keeping your heart healthy, and the source of omega-3 fatty acids that is often recommended is fatty fish. For most vegetarians, eating fatty fish to consume omega-3 fatty acids is not an option because they do not eat any meat. Therefore, if you are eating a vegetarian diet like this, you will have to get your heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids from plant-based sources such as olive oil, flaxseed, walnuts and soy milk enriched with omega-3 fatty acids. You should get at least two to three servings of omega-3 fatty acids a week.
Tips
Some specific steps can be taken to eat a heart-healthy vegetarian diet. Increase the amount of fiber you consume. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, you should be eating 20 to 30g of fiber per day. Increase the amounts of unsaturated fats you consume. Avoid smoking. Whether you are eating a vegetarian diet or a meat-based diet, smoking can be detrimental to your heart health. Cook with olive oil or canola oils instead of oils that contain a significant amount of unhealthy fats. Avoiding eating too much junk food or products made with whole milk, even if they are vegetarian-friendly.
Warning
HelpGuide.org reports that even small amounts of trans fats can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke because trans fat raises your bad LDL cholesterol and lowers your good HDL cholesterol. Trans fats are found in many vegetarian-suitable foods that are made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, and you should avoid them to keep your heart healthy.
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