This is general information from published health sources and is not a substitute for medical advice.
No single food protects your heart on its own, and no food can reverse heart disease. The ten below are ordinary Indian foods that match the advice of ICMR-NIN (the National Institute of Nutrition of the Indian Council of Medical Research) and the NHS: dals and pulses, millets and whole grains, green leafy vegetables, other vegetables, whole fruit, nuts, seeds, fish, curd and buttermilk, and cooking oils used lightly.
They work as part of an overall pattern with limited salt, sugar and fried food, which our companion post covers in eight everyday habits for a heart-friendly Indian plate. You do not need salmon, avocado or imported berries. ICMR-NIN builds its advice on a variety of locally available foods.
How much of each food group?
ICMR-NIN's "My Plate for the Day" gives these daily amounts for a 2,000 kcal diet. Your own needs depend on your size, age and activity.
| Food group | Daily amount (raw weight) |
|---|---|
| Cereals and millets | About 250 g |
| Pulses | About 85 g |
| Vegetables, including green leafy vegetables | About 400 g |
| Fruit | About 100 g |
| Milk or curd | About 300 ml |
| Nuts and seeds | About 35 g |
| Oils and fats | About 27 g |
Ten everyday foods that fit a heart-friendly diet
1. Dals and pulses
Moong, masoor, toor, chana, rajma and lobia are good sources of protein and fibre, and ICMR-NIN says to eat plenty of legumes. Cook dal with a light tadka, make a sprouted moong salad, or have chana chaat without fried sev. ICMR-NIN also suggests eating more sprouted and fermented foods and cooking by pressure or steam rather than deep frying.
2. Millets and whole grains
Ragi, jowar, bajra, whole wheat atta and daliya fit ICMR-NIN's advice to prefer whole grains and millets to refined grains. Try a jowar roti, bajra khichdi or ragi dosa, and mix a handful of millet flour into your wheat atta.
3. Green leafy vegetables
Palak, methi, sarson, chaulai and drumstick leaves are the vegetables ICMR-NIN asks you to include in every meal. Vegetables and fruit also supply potassium, which helps the body excrete sodium and supports healthy blood pressure. Add leaves to dal, parathas and raita. (If you take warfarin, read the safety section below.)
4. Other seasonal vegetables and salads
Lauki, tori, bhindi, cabbage, carrot, cucumber and tomato all count towards the 400 g a day. ICMR-NIN suggests eating them in many forms: raw salads, curries, dry-cooked sabzi, soups, raita, or added to dal and rotis. It also prefers root vegetables such as carrot and radish to tubers such as potato.
5. Whole fruit
Guava, orange, papaya, apple and seasonal fruit are better eaten whole than as juice, which is what ICMR-NIN advises. Have a fruit with breakfast or as an evening snack. If you have diabetes, ask your doctor or dietitian how much fruit suits you.
6. Unsalted nuts
Almonds, walnuts and groundnuts fit within the 35 g of nuts and seeds on the plate. Choose plain, unsalted nuts rather than fried or coated ones, and keep to a small handful, because nuts are rich in calories. Skip them if you have a nut allergy.
7. Seeds: alsi, til and methi
ICMR-NIN lists nuts and oilseeds, green leafy vegetables and fenugreek (methi) seeds among the sources of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a plant omega-3 fat. Roast and grind flax (alsi) seeds into a chutney powder, sprinkle til on sabzi, or use methi seeds in tadka. A spoonful or two is enough, because seeds count towards the same 35 g.
8. Fish, if you eat it
The NHS advises at least two portions of fish a week, one of them oily; a portion is about 140 g. It lists herring, pilchards, salmon, sardines, sprats, trout and mackerel as oily fish, and says tuna does not count.
ICMR-NIN suggests about 200 g of marine fish a week, such as mackerel. Local options include mackerel (bangda) and sardines (mathi). Steam, grill or cook them in a light curry rather than deep frying.
9. Curd and buttermilk
The plate includes about 300 ml of milk or curd a day. ICMR-NIN also suggests buttermilk, tender coconut water or lemon water instead of soft drinks, and low-fat milk for older adults. Choose plain curd and chaas without added sugar, and watch the salt in packaged versions.
10. Cooking oils, used lightly
Start with the amount. ICMR-NIN recommends a variety of oils, nuts and seeds, about 27 g of oils and fats a day in total, limited ghee and butter, and no vanaspati. Experts disagree about mustard oil. The Lipid Association of India recommends it as heart-healthy, but a 2022 review in the Journal of Clinical Lipidology notes that it is high in erucic acid, that the US Food and Drug Administration bans its use in cooking, and that Australia, New Zealand and the European Union set upper limits. Because the experts differ, use mustard oil sparingly and vary your oils.
Cooking tips that keep nutrients and cut oil
How you cook matters as much as what you buy. ICMR-NIN's advice for Indian kitchens includes:
- Wash vegetables and fruit thoroughly before you cut them, but do not wash them again after cutting or peeling. Do not wash grains and pulses again and again before cooking.
- Do not soak cut vegetables in water, and do not cook in excess water and throw it away. Use only as much water as you need.
- Prefer pressure cooking or steaming to deep frying or roasting.
- Do not add baking soda to dal or vegetables, because it adds sodium, just like salt.
- Do not reuse frying oil that has been heated before.
- Keep cooked food covered.
Foods to eat less often
ICMR-NIN advises restricting high-fat, high-sugar, high-salt and ultra-processed foods. In Indian homes that includes deep-fried snacks such as samosa, pakora, kachori and bhujia, biscuits, cakes, pastries, breakfast cereals, health drinks, packaged juices and cold drinks. Pickles, papad and other salty preserved foods belong in the same group.
ICMR-NIN adds that fortifying an ultra-processed food with nutrients does not make it wholesome, and that home-made food can be unhealthy if it is made with a lot of fat, sugar or salt.
Who should be careful
- If you take warfarin, the NHS says foods high in vitamin K, such as broccoli, spinach and other green leafy vegetables, can affect how the medicine works. You can still eat them, but talk to your warfarin clinic before making big changes to your diet.
- If you have kidney disease, ask your doctor before increasing potassium-rich foods such as tender coconut water or bananas, and before using salt substitutes.
- If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or heart disease, follow your doctor's plan. Do not stop or change prescribed medicines because you have changed your diet.
- If you have a nut, seed or fish allergy, avoid those foods.
- If you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, the NHS advises no more than two portions of oily fish a week, and avoiding shark, swordfish and marlin.
Warning signs: do not wait
Call 112, India's single emergency number, straight away for chest pain or discomfort, pain spreading to the arms, jaw or back, difficulty breathing, cold sweat or light-headedness. Call too for sudden weakness or numbness on one side, sudden confusion, trouble speaking or seeing, or loss of balance. A healthy plate does not rule out a heart attack or stroke.
Related guides: Heart-healthy eating in India, How anger affects the body and what you can do about it, How to lose weight at home.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to eat salmon or avocado for a healthy heart?
No. ICMR-NIN bases its advice on locally available foods. The NHS lists sardines and mackerel among oily fish, and nuts, seeds, leafy vegetables and methi seeds supply plant omega-3 fat for those who do not eat fish.
Is mustard oil good for the heart?
Experts disagree. The Lipid Association of India recommends it, while a 2022 review notes concerns about erucic acid. No oil is a heart medicine, so keep the total small and vary your oils.
Can I eat nuts every day?
ICMR-NIN's plate includes about 35 g of nuts and seeds a day on a 2,000 kcal diet. Choose unsalted nuts, keep to a small handful, and avoid them if you are allergic.
Is fruit juice as good as whole fruit?
No. ICMR-NIN advises fresh fruit rather than juice, and lists packaged juices among the foods to restrict.
Should I stop eating rice and roti?
No. Cereals and millets are the biggest part of the ICMR-NIN plate, at about 250 g raw a day on a 2,000 kcal diet. The advice is to choose whole grains and millets more often, and to eat them with dal and vegetables.
Your next step: choose three foods from this list to add to next week's shopping, such as ragi flour, a pack of moong and a bunch of methi. Then read our post on the eight everyday habits for a heart-friendly plate for portions of oil, salt and sugar, and see how ragi and curd also help your bones.
Sources
- ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition, "Dietary Guidelines for Indians" (2024 edition booklet). https://nin.res.in/downloads/DGI_Booklet_English_CMYK.pdf. Read on 13 October 2026.
- ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition, "Policy Brief: My Plate for the Day". https://www.nin.res.in/brief/Policy%20Brief%20My%20Plate%20J18%2024.pdf. Read on 13 October 2026.
- NHS, "Fish and shellfish". https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-types/fish-and-shellfish-nutrition/. Read on 13 October 2026.
- NHS, "Warfarin". https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/warfarin/. Read on 13 October 2026.
- Poddar and colleagues, "Mustard oil and cardiovascular health: why the controversy?", Journal of Clinical Lipidology, January 2022. https://ohsu.elsevierpure.com/en/publications/mustard-oil-and-cardiovascular-health-why-the-controversy. Read on 13 October 2026.
- Ministry of Home Affairs, India, "Emergency Response Support System (ERSS)" (single emergency number 112). https://www.mha.gov.in/en/commoncontent/emergency-response-support-system-erss. Read on 13 October 2026.
This article is general information, not medical advice. Speak to a doctor or another qualified professional about your own health.
We may earn a commission if you buy through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. How we earn
