AFib Foods To Eat and Avoid: What Helps—and Hurts—Your Heart Rhythm
The right foods and drinks support a healthy heartbeat
When the temperatures soar, most of us find there’s nothing more refreshing than an icy drink. But that’s not always the case for millions of people dealing with the chaotic heartbeats of atrial fibrillation or AFib. In fact, scientists now call it “cold-drink heart” since paroxysmal AFib sufferers (those whose symptoms come and go, usually in less than a week) often report sipping chilled drinks trigger flare-ups. But what foods and drinks are best to eat with AFib, and which should you avoid? We break down what people diagnosed with atrial fibrillation should savor and skip to ward off irregular heartbeats.
“The more patients with atrial fibrillation are asked about this trigger, the more often we hear, ‘Yes, that’s happening to me, too,'” shared ER doc David R. Vinson, MD, whose team of Kaiser Permanente researchers just conducted a study on the condition. “For decades there have been people telling their healthcare providers that cold foods and drinks trigger their atrial fibrillation episodes, but many providers have dismissed this possibility.” Keep reading to learn about cold drinks and your heart rhythm—plus more on AFib foods to eat and AFib foods to avoid.
What is AFib, and who’s at risk?
“AFib is a heart rhythm disorder,” explains Michelle Routhenstein, MS, RD, CDCES, CDN, a preventive cardiology dietitian at EntirelyNourished.com. Misfiring electrical signals cause the upper chambers of the heart to quiver or “fibrillate,” which in turn causes an irregular and often rapid heartbeat. “As a result, the heart can’t pump blood as well as it should,” she says.
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‘Blood may also pool in the heart, allowing clots to form. Sometimes AFib goes away on its own after a few minutes or several days; other times, medical intervention is required to restore a normal heart rhythm.
Rates of AFib are on the rise, especially for anyone with additional risk factors like high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, sleep apnea or a slow thyroid. The latest research shows about 10 percent of us have it by age 65, and over 20 percent by age 80. Symptoms include a pounding or fluttering heartbeat, feeling out of breath for no reason, chest pain and fainting. Left untreated, “AFib increases the risk of stroke and heart failure,” Routhenstein says. (Check out the most common symptoms of AFib here.)
The good news: There are better treatments than ever before (including medication and advancements in a procedure called cardiac ablation) that can dramatically reduce risks associated with AFib. So if you suspect you have AFib or have already been diagnosed, talk to your doctor. (And never stop taking prescribed meds, even if you stop noticing symptoms.)
AFib foods to eat
Routhenstein says what you do and don’t eat can play a huge role in preventing and managing AFib episodes.Here’s what helps:
Warm or cool drinks
In some parts of the world, people hate ice in their drinks because that’s what they’re used to. It may be an adjustment, but you’ll likely come to prefer lightly cool or even room-temperature beverages over those that are freezing cold.
Banana-based smoothies
“Bananas are rich in potassium and magnesium, both of which support healthy electrical activity in the heart,” says Routhenstein. “In a study of more than 4,000 participants, low levels of potassium were associated with a significantly higher risk of AFib, suggesting that eating a potassium-rich diet may offer some protective benefits.”
Avocado, potatoes, spinach and yogurt are also rich in potassium. Important note: Potassium supplements can cause AFib symptoms in some cases, cautions Routhenstein. So stick to natural sources.
A Mediterranean diet
It’s built entirely around anti-inflammatory foods (fruits, vegetables, beans, high-quality protein, whole grains and heart-healthy fats) while limiting processed foods full of AFib-triggering excess sodium.
Good fats seem particularly beneficial: One study found consuming as little as one ounce of salmon or sardines per day led to very low risk of AFib. Plus, a separate large study “found that AFib risk was lowered by 38 percent when participants added extra virgin olive oil to their diet,” notes Routhenstein.
AFib foods to avoid
It’s generally recommended that people with AFib avoid the following foods and drinks:
Icy drinks and food (especially after exercise)
While Dr. Vinson’s team says more research is still needed, their cold-heart study found that avoiding icy cold drinks (as well as icy-cold food like frozen desserts) seemed effective at reducing or even eliminating episodes for 86.4 percent of AFib study participants. Cold drinks plus physical exertion seemed to be the most potent trigger, so definitely avoid fast food Slurpees after a brisk walk.
Alcohol
“There have been many studies showing a strong relationship between alcohol and AFib,” says Routhenstein, noting the famous Framingham Heart Study links at least three alcoholic beverages per day to significantly increased AFib risk among men. While the occasional glass of wine may be fine, you’ll want to rethink icy alcoholic drinks like frozen margaritas and daiquiris.
The keto diet
A large, 22-year study on low-carb diets found they increased the risk of AFib, “regardless of the kind of fat or protein participants ate in place of carbohydrates,” says Routhenstein. “This may be because low-carb diets are generally lower in vegetables, fruits and whole grains, which also reduce vitamins and anti-inflammatory nutrients in the diet. There is a well-known association between inflammation and AFib, so not eating as many inflammation-fighting foods may increase the risk of AFib attacks.”
How to create your personalized AFib diet
Routhenstein notes that there’s observational evidence that choices like onions and artificially sweetened beverages may increase AFib risk. Overall, it’s best to pay attention to whether onions, icy Diet Coke or any food trigger AFib for you, she says. “Keeping a food journal can help identify dietary triggers so you can remove them accordingly.” And if you’re struggling to adjust your diet to manage your AFib symptoms, Routhenstein advises working with a registered dietitian who specializes in heart disease who can best guide you to an eating plan that helps protect your heart.
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