Research
Macro partitioning
Very low-carbohydrate/ketogenic, Paleolithic, and low-carbohydrate dietary patterns have low to moderate or poor alignment with 2021 AHA Dietary Guidance due to restrictions on whole grains, legumes, and oils, and high saturated fat content.
If you follow a low-carb, Paleo, or ketogenic diet, be aware that it may not align well with heart health guidelines. These diets often restrict whole grains, legumes, and healthy oils, and may be high in saturated fat. Consult a registered dietitian to ensure nutrient adequacy and minimize cardiovascular risk.
GoodRefutesHIGH confidence
The third group of patterns (ie, low carbohydrate and very low fat), with careful guidance from a registered dietitian and some known inherent limitations, have low to moderate alignment with AHA criteria, and the fourth group of patterns (ie, Paleo, and VLCD) align poorly with AHA Dietary Guidance, even if implemented as intended.
Source
Popular Dietary Patterns: Alignment With American Heart Association 2021 Dietary Guidance: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association
Christopher D. Gardner et al. · Circulation · 2023
DOI 10.1161/cir.0000000000001146
clinical_guidelineCited 140×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Mediterranean, DASH-style, pescetarian, and ovo/lacto-vegetarian dietary patterns, when implemented as intended, strongly align with 2021 AHA Dietary Guidance and support optimal cardiovascular health.Strong
- Vegan and low-fat dietary patterns, when implemented as intended, mostly align with 2021 AHA Dietary Guidance but face challenges regarding nutrient adequacy and adherence due to severe restrictions.Good
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