American College of Cardiology emphasizes dietary patterns over superfoods

A new scientific statement from the American College of Cardiology, published in ‘The Journal of the American College of Cardiology’ (JACC), emphasizes that overall dietary patterns are more critical for cardiovascular health than individual nutrients or trendy ‘superfoods.’

Frank B. Hu, MD, PhD, a professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and president of the statement, notes that a suboptimal diet is a key risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The findings suggest that adding specific healthy foods to a diet high in ultra-processed items is ineffective. Instead, health is driven by consistent, holistic patterns.

Recommended dietary patterns, such as the Mediterranean or DASH diets, focus on minimally processed plant foods, including vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, and whole grains. The guidance also advocates for high-quality protein sources and healthy unsaturated fats, while limiting refined starches, added sugars, sodium, and highly processed foods of low nutritional quality.