What a cardiologist eats in a day
USA Today’s Sara Moniuszko eats all day like a cardiologist. This is what she made.
What do cardiologists who specialize in the heart usually eat?
Dr. Renato Apolito, a board-certified physician in interventional cardiology and cardiovascular disease who has been seeing patients for more than 20 years, said it’s important to eat well and maximize the nutritional value of your diet to maintain a healthy weight and optimize your heart and overall health.
“If you manage your weight, you can reduce the incidence of high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea, and all of the associated comorbidities,” Apolito, who is also director of cardiac catheterization at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center, told USA TODAY.
So what does he eat in a day?
What cardiologists eat every meal
- breakfast. A combination of organic low-fat milk and egg whites. “It’s high in protein and I find it very satisfying in the morning after a workout,” he said. “It’s quick and easy, takes up less time in the morning, and doesn’t cause postprandial hypoglycemia, which I experienced previously when eating carbohydrate-based breakfasts.” Postprandial hypoglycemia is a condition in which blood sugar levels drop after eating a meal. Additionally, he added, his breakfast is completely natural and unprocessed.
- lunch. Combine protein-rich foods like pork loin or chicken breast with as many vegetables as possible. The latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend consuming at least three servings of vegetables per day.
- dinner. Green vegetables and lean protein, or sometimes pasta. “By dinner time, I’m usually less hungry, but I usually cook myself and again prefer green vegetables with lean protein,” he said. “Once in a while, I can’t help but make healthy pasta with vegetables and protein. My parents are from Italy, so I can’t abandon my roots!”
- Snacks/desserts. With treats like dark chocolate, dark chocolate-covered almonds and dried fruit with ricotta and honey, Apolito said they are “as satisfying as any other candy bar.” “I also like high-quality ice cream,” he said, but he makes sure the ingredients are whole and simple. “It’s okay to cheat sometimes, just be mindful of it,” he said, noting that processed products with lots of added sugar and salt are bad for health.
What makes your diet heart healthy?
Eating fiber-rich leafy greens, colorful vegetables, and fruits can help lower LDL cholesterol, or “bad” cholesterol, for heart health, Apolito said.
“Choose a variety of vegetables, such as spinach, broccoli, berries and carrots. And remember, the greener, the better,” he said. “Eating whole foods (and) lean proteins is much better than eating processed meats like bacon, sausage, and deli meats, which are especially high in sodium and preservatives, which are linked to heart disease.”
Unfortunately, Apolito acknowledged that living in a society “surrounded and inundated with unhealthy processed foods that are constantly advertised everywhere” makes the situation more difficult, but his motto for his patients is “If you can pick it or kill it, you can eat it.”
“This is essentially a farmhouse diet, leading to eating more seasonal, locally sourced, whole foods,” he said.
Nutrition experts agree that whole foods are best, but access and affordability are important factors when Americans decide what to eat.
More than half of the calories consumed at home by U.S. adults and children come from ultra-processed foods (UPF), according to a 2025 analysis from the National Center for Health Statistics.
The latest dietary guidelines also recommend avoiding highly processed “packaged, prepared, ready-to-eat foods, or other foods that are salty or sweet.” This includes products such as chips, cookies, and candy that have added sugar or salt.
While Apolito finds whole foods “just as satisfying as fast food or processed foods,” he understands that we all “need a treat every once in a while.”
