This is What I Eat for a Healthy Heart

In a widely publicized Newsweek interview, Tom C. Nguyen, M.D., FACS, FACC, chief medical executive of Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute, shared the dietary habits he follows to protect his own heart and promote cardiovascular health. As a global leader in minimally invasive heart surgery, Dr. Nguyen’s insights carry weight when it comes to heart health.

Dr. Nguyen, who is also the Barry T. Katzen Endowed Chair and director of Minimally Invasive Valve Surgery at the Institute. underscores the critical link between diet and heart disease.

“Heart disease is a leading cause of death worldwide; diet plays a big part in that,” he told Newsweek. “A diet rich in vegetables, wholegrains, lean proteins, fruits, and healthy fats helps protect against heart disease.”

Tom C. Nguyen, M.D., FACS, FACC, chief medical executive and Barry T. Katzen Endowed Chair of Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute.

A heart-healthy diet, he said, focuses on nourishing whole foods rather than processed options.

Dr. Nguyen is a strong advocate for eating fresh, organic, and unprocessed foods — those typically found around the edges of the grocery store, where fresh produce, meats, and dairy are located. This kind of eating pattern, he says, helps prevent heart disease while offering essential nutrients that our bodies need.

Key Heart-Healthy Foods

On a typical day, Dr. Nguyen starts his morning with a light breakfast designed to fuel his day. He often enjoys “a light breakfast with protein, grains, some fruit, and a cup of coffee,” which might include a couple of hard-boiled eggs (without the yolks) and a serving of oatmeal.

For lunch, Dr. Nguyen aims to have a slightly more substantial meal: “If I have time, I try to have a bigger lunch with chicken and vegetables,” he shared. “In the evenings, I’ve found myself eating earlier and having lighter meals.” This aligns with research suggesting that consuming more calories earlier in the day may provide health benefits, including supporting heart health.

To bolster his cardiovascular health, Dr. Nguyen is particularly mindful of certain food groups. One of his top priorities is to “avoid sugar as much as possible,” along with eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables such as berries and leafy greens. He also incorporates whole grains such as brown rice into his meals, as well as healthy fats found in foods such as avocado, olive oil, and nuts.

Dr. Nguyen is a fan of omega-3 fatty acids, which he sources from fatty fish-like salmon. For fiber, he turns to beans and lentils.

The heart surgeon also enjoys small amounts of dark chocolate for a sweet treat and drinks green tea for its antioxidant properties. He is careful to limit processed foods, sugary drinks, and excess salt—substances known to contribute to heart disease.

The Debate Over Saturated Fats, Extreme Diets

Saturated fat has long been a debated topic in nutrition, with some arguing that it raises cholesterol levels and contributes to heart disease, while others contend it has been unfairly demonized. Dr. Nguyen is cautious when it comes to saturated fats.

“Saturated fats are types of fats that are typically solid at room temperature and are found in animal products like butter, cheese, and red meat, as well as some plant oils like coconut and palm oil,” he said. “High consumption of saturated fats can raise the level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in your blood, which increases the risk of developing heart disease and stroke.”

In addition to heart disease, Dr. Nguyen noted that high intake of saturated fats has also been linked to conditions such as cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s. He recommends replacing saturated fats with healthier unsaturated fats, such as those found in olive oil, avocados, and nuts, to improve cardiovascular health and lower cholesterol levels.

In contrast to some other heart health experts, Dr. Nguyen does not support extreme diets like the carnivore diet, which is high in animal products and saturated fats. “The carnivore diet is composed mainly of animal products and contains high levels of saturated fats and cholesterol, which are all linked to an increase in heart disease,” Nguyen explained. “When you take out the healthy foods, you also take out essential nutrients and fiber that are beneficial to heart health.”

For Dr. Nguyen, maintaining heart health is about more than just what foods you eat — it’s also about making mindful choices, balancing nutrients, and finding ways to eat that work for your lifestyle.

He also stresses the importance of the pace of eating and not over-indulging at each meal.

“I also think it’s important not only what you eat, but how you eat,” Dr. Nguyen noted. “It’s important to slow down while eating to give your body time to register how much you’ve eaten. Most of the time, we eat until we’re 100 to 200 percent full, but there’s good data to suggest that eating until you’re 80 percent full increases life span.”