Heart Healthy Foods: What Indians Should Eat and Avoid
Expert-reviewed guide for Indian diets
India now accounts for nearly 60% of the world's heart disease burden despite having only 17% of the global population. Indians develop heart disease approximately ten years earlier than Western populations, and the presentation is often more severe — more extensive blockages, at a younger age, with less warning. This is not simply about genetics. The specific combination of dietary patterns, high abdominal adiposity (belly fat), high-carbohydrate low-quality diets, and high psychological stress that characterises Indian urban life creates a cardiovascular risk environment unlike any other country's.
The most dangerous cardiovascular risk pattern in Indians is not just high LDL cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol most people know about). Indians disproportionately exhibit high triglycerides, low HDL, and high lipoprotein(a) — a genetic lipid that is largely independent of diet but whose harmful effects are amplified by poor metabolic health. This combination — called atherogenic dyslipidaemia — is driven significantly by excess refined carbohydrates and added sugars in the diet. The traditional "low fat" dietary advice for heart disease is actively misleading for Indians — reducing fat while maintaining high refined carb intake often makes the triglyceride/HDL ratio worse.
The ghee debate is real and deserves honest treatment. Desi ghee (pure clarified butter from cow's milk, A2 variety in particular) contains saturated fat, yes, but it also contains butyrate, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), and fat-soluble vitamins. Small amounts of genuine desi ghee — one teaspoon per day — do not worsen cardiovascular risk markers for most people. The harm comes from large amounts of ghee combined with refined carbohydrates (ghee on puri, ghee on white rice, ghee in halwa) — this combination simultaneously raises LDL and triglycerides. The vanaspati and dalda (partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, still used in many Indian restaurant and commercial kitchens) are unambiguously harmful and should be completely avoided.
The encouraging reality is that Indian food — traditional, home-cooked Indian food — is actually very heart-protective. Rajma, chana, dals, vegetables, roti, fruits, turmeric, garlic, onion — these are all excellent cardiovascular foods. The shift toward packaged snacks, restaurant food loaded with refined oils, commercial sweets, and reduced physical activity has been the primary driver of India's heart disease epidemic, not the traditional Indian diet.
Foods to Eat
Heart-Protective Indian Foods
Walnuts (Akhrot)
Walnuts are the only nut with a significant amount of plant-based omega-3 fatty acids (ALA), and they are the most studied nut for cardiovascular benefit. Regular walnut consumption has been shown in multiple large trials to reduce LDL cholesterol, reduce triglycerides, improve arterial flexibility, and reduce inflammatory markers. In Indian cooking, walnuts are not commonly used in savoury dishes — the easiest approach is to eat five to six walnut halves daily as a standalone snack, paired with two dates. You can also add them to raita, blend into chutney, or use in salads. Store walnuts in the refrigerator to prevent the omega-3 fats from oxidising.
Flaxseeds (Alsi)
Ground flaxseeds provide ALA omega-3, soluble fibre (which lowers LDL through bile acid binding), and lignans that have cardiovascular protective effects. One tablespoon of ground flaxseed daily reduces LDL by approximately 5-8% over 12 weeks — modest but meaningful, especially without any side effects. Freshly ground flaxseed can be added to morning dahi, stirred into atta for rotis, or mixed into vegetable salads. The seeds must be ground for their nutrients to be absorbed — whole flaxseeds pass through the digestive tract largely intact. Grind in small batches and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Garlic (Lahsun)
Garlic's cardiovascular benefits are among the most well-established in food medicine. Allicin — released when raw garlic is crushed or chopped — reduces LDL cholesterol production in the liver, lowers blood pressure (through ACE-inhibitor-like effects), and inhibits platelet aggregation (reduces clot tendency). Eating two to three cloves of raw garlic daily (or equivalent in crushed form) provides meaningful benefit. The key is raw or minimally cooked — allicin is destroyed by high heat cooking. Add raw garlic to your raita, chutney, or dal just before serving (not during cooking). In South Indian cooking, the practice of adding raw crushed garlic to rasam is excellent.
Rajma and Chana (Legumes)
The soluble fibre in rajma and chana (primarily beta-glucan and pectin) works like a sponge in the intestines, binding to bile acids that contain cholesterol and carrying them out of the body in stool. The liver then has to pull more cholesterol from the bloodstream to make new bile acids, which lowers circulating LDL. Three servings of legumes per week reduces cardiovascular events by 14% in observational studies. Rajma chawal three times a week, chana in salads or curry, and mixed dal on other days provides this benefit naturally. These foods also provide potassium (which lowers blood pressure) and magnesium.
Dalia (Broken Wheat) and Oats
Both dalia and oats are excellent sources of beta-glucan soluble fibre — the specific fibre that has the strongest evidence for LDL reduction. Oats are more concentrated in beta-glucan (3 grams per serving achieves meaningful LDL reduction) and have received FDA approval for the cardiovascular health claim. Dalia has less beta-glucan but more fibre overall and is a more culturally accessible food for most Indians. Make oats khichdi or dalia upma with vegetables for breakfast — far superior to the cornflakes and packaged cereal most people eat. Adding a tablespoon of ground flaxseed to your morning oats creates a powerfully heart-protective breakfast.
Amla (Indian Gooseberry)
Amla is one of the most studied Ayurvedic foods with legitimate modern cardiovascular evidence. Its extraordinarily high Vitamin C content (600-700 mg per 100g) reduces oxidative modification of LDL cholesterol — oxidised LDL is far more dangerous to arterial walls than native LDL. Amla also contains ellagic acid and tannins with anti-platelet effects. In Indian clinical trials, daily amla consumption has reduced total cholesterol and triglycerides measurably. Eat one fresh amla daily when in season (October-February), or drink 30 ml of fresh amla juice diluted in water daily year-round. Avoid the sugar-loaded amla candies.
Tomato and Onion (Lycopene and Quercetin)
The masala base of virtually every Indian curry — tomato, onion, garlic — is actually a cardiovascular health package. Tomatoes cooked in a small amount of oil provide lycopene in a bioavailable form (cooking tomatoes in fat significantly increases lycopene absorption). Lycopene is a potent antioxidant that protects LDL particles from oxidation and has been independently associated with reduced heart attack risk. Onions provide quercetin, a flavonoid that relaxes arterial walls and has mild blood pressure-lowering effects. Continue using this base in your cooking — it is genuinely protective.
Fish — Especially Fatty Fish
Fatty fish like bangda (Indian mackerel), rohu, hilsa, and surmai (kingfish) provide EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids — the most potent natural triglyceride-lowering agents known. High triglycerides are India's most common lipid abnormality and omega-3s directly address this. Eating fatty fish two to three times a week reduces triglycerides by 15-30%, reduces blood pressure slightly, and reduces platelet stickiness. Bangda is particularly excellent — it is affordable, delicious, and has one of the highest omega-3 contents among commonly eaten Indian fish. Do not deep-fry — shallow fry, steam, or curry it.
Foods to Avoid
Foods That Damage Heart Health
Vanaspati and Dalda (Partially Hydrogenated Oils)
Vanaspati ghee and dalda — the partially hydrogenated vegetable oils used in commercial baking, restaurant cooking, and many packaged snacks — contain trans fats that are unambiguously the worst dietary factor for cardiovascular health. Trans fats simultaneously raise LDL, lower HDL, and promote inflammation. There is no safe level of trans fat intake. Many Indian restaurants and sweet shops still use vanaspati because it is cheaper and has a longer shelf life than desi ghee. If you eat out, avoid deep-fried items from establishments that may be using vanaspati. At home, never use vanaspati — use small amounts of genuine ghee or unrefined oils instead.
Commercial Namkeen and Packaged Snacks
Bhujia, sev, chakli, commercial namkeen — these are deep-fried in refined oils (often reused multiple times, creating oxidised, pro-inflammatory compounds), high in sodium (which raises blood pressure), and loaded with refined carbohydrates. A 100-gram bag of popular bhujia contains over 500 calories, 30 grams of fat (much of it from refined refined vegetable oil), and 1200 mg of sodium — over half the recommended daily sodium intake for a heart patient. These snacks deliver concentrated cardiovascular risk in a small volume of food that does not satisfy hunger. Replace with roasted chana, a handful of mixed unsalted nuts, or fruit.
Excess Refined Carbohydrates (Maida and White Sugar)
This is the most underappreciated driver of cardiovascular risk in India. When you eat excess refined carbohydrates — maida rotis, white bread, packaged biscuits, white rice in large portions, sugar in every chai — the liver converts the excess glucose into triglycerides (VLDL). These triglycerides raise cardiovascular risk directly and also reduce HDL. The "low fat, high carb" dietary pattern that was widely recommended for heart disease in the 1980s-2000s is now understood to actually worsen the specific lipid pattern most dangerous for Indians (high triglycerides, low HDL). Prioritise fibre-rich whole grain carbohydrates over refined ones.
Red Meat and Processed Meats
Mutton, lamb, and beef contain high amounts of saturated fat and haem iron — both of which, in excess, are associated with increased cardiovascular risk. Processed meats (sausages, salami, packaged luncheon meat) are particularly harmful — they contain trans fats, excess sodium, and preservatives in addition to saturated fat. This does not mean never eating mutton biryani — it means it should not be a daily food. Limiting red meat to once or twice a week, choosing leaner cuts, and cooking by pressure cooking or grilling rather than deep-frying makes a significant difference. Chicken and fish are preferable choices for regular protein.
Practical Tips for the Indian Kitchen
Heart Health Tips for the Indian Kitchen
- The ghee reality check: One teaspoon of pure desi ghee on your roti is fine. Fifteen grams of ghee pooled over white rice with no vegetables is not. The problem is never just the ghee — it is the ghee combined with refined carbs, combined with deep frying, combined with large quantities. Use it as a flavouring agent (half to one teaspoon at serving) on whole grain rotis and vegetables, not as a cooking medium for deep frying or in large amounts over refined grains.
- Choose your cooking oil correctly: For daily cooking, use cold-pressed mustard oil (excellent for heart health — high in MUFA and ALA), or cold-pressed groundnut oil, or a small amount of ghee. Avoid refined vegetable oils that have been chemically extracted. For salad dressings where no heat is used, olive oil is an excellent option. The oil matters — spend slightly more on good quality cold-pressed versions.
- Fish twice a week is the most impactful single change: If you currently eat no fish, adding bangda or rohu twice a week will do more for your triglycerides than most single dietary changes. Buy fresh fish from your local market, cook simply in a light curry or shallow fry with minimal oil and fresh spices. This is cardiovascular medicine from the fish market.
- The walnut-amla morning habit: Five walnut halves plus one amla (or 30 ml amla juice) every morning as a standalone before breakfast takes three minutes and costs very little. This habit alone provides omega-3s, Vitamin C for LDL oxidation protection, and antioxidants. It is one of the highest return-on-effort cardiovascular interventions possible.
- Reduce sodium gradually: High blood pressure (hypertension) is present in 30-40% of Indian adults and is a major cardiovascular risk factor. Sodium in salt, in namkeen, in pickles, in papad, and in packaged foods is the primary driver. Do not add extra salt at the table, reduce the namkeen snacking, make pickles at home (less salt than commercial versions), and cook fresh food rather than using packaged masala mixes (which are very high in sodium).
- Walk for 45 minutes daily — non-negotiable: Diet matters enormously, but regular aerobic exercise raises HDL cholesterol more than any food can. HDL is particularly low in Indians and is a major part of our cardiovascular risk picture. A 45-minute brisk walk daily raises HDL by 3-5 mg/dL over 12 weeks — a more significant change than most dietary interventions alone. Combine dietary changes with movement for multiplicative benefit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: My cardiologist said no ghee at all. Is this still the advice?
A: Cardiology advice on ghee has evolved considerably over the past decade. The blanket "no ghee" advice originated in an era when all saturated fat was considered uniformly harmful, which has since been revised. Most current dietary guidelines distinguish between small amounts of natural saturated fats (like desi ghee) and harmful trans fats (like vanaspati). One teaspoon of desi ghee per day is unlikely to worsen cardiovascular markers for most people and may have some benefits through its butyrate content. However, if you have very high LDL (above 160 mg/dL) or have had a cardiac event, your cardiologist's specific advice should take precedence over general guidelines — their recommendation is personalised to your lipid levels and risk profile.
Q: Is coconut oil good or bad for heart health? There is so much confusion.
A: The coconut oil debate is genuinely unsettled in the scientific literature, which is why you see conflicting advice. Coconut oil is very high in saturated fat (92%), predominantly in the form of lauric acid and medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). MCTs are metabolised differently than long-chain saturated fats and do not appear to raise LDL in the same way. Coconut oil does raise HDL, which is beneficial. However, it also raises LDL in many people, and for those with already-elevated LDL, it may worsen their lipid profile. The honest answer: coconut oil is not the health superfood it was marketed as, but it is not as harmful as vanaspati either. If your LDL is well-controlled, using coconut oil in Kerala-style cooking is likely fine. If your LDL is elevated, switch to cold-pressed mustard oil or olive oil.
Q: Should I take omega-3 supplements since I do not eat fish?
A: For strict vegetarians, omega-3 supplementation is worth considering, particularly if triglycerides are elevated. Plant-based omega-3 sources (flaxseeds, walnuts) provide ALA, which the body converts to EPA and DHA at only about 5-10% efficiency. Algae-based omega-3 supplements (the same omega-3s found in fish, but sourced from the algae the fish eat) are a good vegetarian option — look for supplements providing at least 250-500 mg of combined EPA+DHA daily. Standard fish oil capsules are the most studied and cost-effective option for non-vegetarians. Discuss supplementation with your cardiologist, especially if triglycerides are significantly elevated (above 200 mg/dL).
Q: I have been told to reduce cholesterol. Does that mean stopping all eggs and paneer?
A: No — dietary cholesterol has a much smaller effect on blood cholesterol than most people assume, and the science has shifted significantly on this. Saturated and trans fats in the diet have a far larger effect on raising blood LDL than dietary cholesterol from foods like eggs. Eggs raise HDL (the protective cholesterol) alongside LDL, and the net effect on cardiovascular risk from eating two to four eggs per week is neutral or beneficial for most people. Paneer, similarly, provides saturated fat but in quantities that most people consume (50-75 grams per day), the cardiovascular risk is minimal compared to the protein and calcium benefit. Avoid large quantities of full-fat cream and cheese, and eliminate vanaspati and trans fats entirely — that has a far larger impact than avoiding eggs.
Q: My father had a heart attack at 52. Does that mean I will too, regardless of diet?
A: A family history of early heart disease (first-degree relative with cardiac event before 55 in men, before 65 in women) does increase your risk — this is real and worth taking seriously. However, it does not mean cardiovascular disease is inevitable. Genetic predisposition determines your starting risk level; what you do with lifestyle determines how much of that risk is actualised. People with strong family history who exercise regularly, eat well, do not smoke, and manage blood pressure and cholesterol can and do live into their 80s without cardiac events. Get a comprehensive lipid panel (including lipoprotein(a), which is particularly elevated in South Asians) before age 35, maintain a heart-healthy diet as described here, and work closely with a cardiologist for monitoring.
Get Your Personalised Diet Plan
Our certified dietitians create custom plans based on your health condition, food preferences, and lifestyle.
Download DietGhar App →Free consultation • 10,000+ success stories
