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A nutrition scientist shared 3 easy food swaps to make your meals heart-healthy

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Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, but eating a nutritious diet can help reduce the risk.

Professor Sarah Berry, a nutrition scientist who specializes in cardiovascular disease, told Business Insider that nailing the basics, for example eating plenty of whole foods and avoiding refined sugar, is most important.

“What I’ve learned in my 25 years of nutrition research is that you shouldn’t sweat the small stuff. And that if you get the basics right, you are 95% of the way there,” Berry, who is a professor at King’s College London, said.

One 2008 meta-analysis published in the British Medical Journal found that following a Mediterranean-style diet, filled with high-fiber fruit and veggies, healthy fats, lean proteins, and beans, could lower the risk of cardiovascular disease by up to 9%, as well as decreasing the risk of several other chronic diseases including cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.

That being said, it’s also important to acknowledge that food is social, and it’s difficult to change the way we eat. “It’s part of our culture, it’s part of the environment we live in,” Berry said. That’s why she recommends starting with some simple swaps that’ll boost the nutrition profile of your meals without changing much else.

Swap white carbs for wholewheat versions

If a person has too much LDL cholesterol in their blood, it can form a sticky plaque in their arteries, putting them at greater risk of heart disease. Fiber can help keep “bad” cholesterol at bay.

Swapping refined carbs for their wholewheat counterparts is an easy way to eat more fiber, Berry said. For example, you could buy rye bread instead of white, use brown or wild rice instead of jasmine, or whole wheat spaghetti instead of regular.

If switching entirely feels intimidating, you can start by replacing half of your portion of white rice with a wholewheat version for example, she said.

“The main thing is just enjoy your food,” she said.

Swap peeled potatoes for skin-on

Eating potatoes with the skin on is an easy way to increase the fiber content of your meal without changing the taste, Berry said.

A medium potato contains about two to three grams of fiber, 7 to 10% of the daily recommended amount, but most of it comes from the skin, according to the Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health’s The Nutrition Score.

Swap meat for legumes

Berry suggested adding some legumes, such as lentils or beans, to meat-based dishes. “You take some of the meat out and you add pulses or beans so that you’re still getting the meat that you want, but you are also adding some healthy fiber,” she said.

Eating red and processed meat regularly is consistently linked to a greater risk of heart disease, while plant-based diets, which are higher in fiber, have been found to boost heart health.

In a 2023 study published in the journal JAMA Network Open, 22 pairs of identical twins were assigned either a vegan or an omnivorous diet for eight weeks. By the end of the study, the vegan twins had lower LDL cholesterol and insulin levels, and had lost more weight, another risk factor for cardiovascular disease, according to the study.




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The US shared a new video of its strikes on Iran showing it launching missiles and blowing up targets

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New US video footage shows elements of its strikes on Iran, including the launching of missiles and fighters and the destruction of multiple targets.

The footage shared by US Central Command on Saturday shows destroyers firing missiles at sea and carriers launching combat aircraft. It also shows repeated strikes on Iranian military targets. It said its forces are “delivering an overwhelming and unrelenting blow.”

It did not specify exactly what was hit, or attribute each attack to the US or Israel, which jointly took part in the operation, dubbed Operation Epic Fury on the American side and Roaring Lion on the Israeli side.

It said the operation, which started Saturday morning, involved precision munitions launched from the air, land, and sea, and said it “involves the largest regional concentration of American military firepower in a generation.”

A US official also told Business Insider that the US launched Tomahawk cruise missiles from warships and that ground forces used the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS. Other weapons were also employed.

The Israel Defense Forces said that it used around 200 fighters in what it described as “the largest military flyover in the history of the Israeli Air Force,” adding that the jets dropped hundreds of munitions “targeting approximately 500 objectives, including aerial defense systems and missile launchers, in a number of locations in Iran, simultaneously.”

Israel has also released footage showing an attack on missile launchers at a remote site in Iran.

US Central Command said attacks were intended to “dismantle the Iranian regime’s security apparatus, prioritizing locations that posed an imminent threat.” President Trump vowed to destroy Iran’s missile program and other military capabilities and said that the aim was for Iran to “never” have a nuclear weapon. He called on Iranian forces to surrender or face “certain death.”


Grey smoke plume in a blue sky over buildings

: Smoke rises after Iran launched a missile attack in Bahrain.

Stringer/Anadolu via Getty Images



CENTCOM said targets included “Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command and control facilities, Iranian air defense capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields.”

Strikes have been reported across Iran, including at military sites and the residence of Iran’s supreme leader. Satellite imagery showed a burning Iranian warship in the aftermath of the initial strikes.

Iranian officials said that at least 85 people were killed at a girls’ elementary school, and the Iranian Red Crescent humanitarian group told the BBC that 201 people had been killed in the country.

After the start of the US and Israeli strikes, Iran launched counterattacks against Israel and against multiple nearby nations, many of which have bases that host US forces and are US allies. Those nations reported many successful interceptions, but also some damage. Details about Iran’s attacks are still emerging, and attacks may continue.

CENTCOM said that its forces had successfully defended against hundreds of Iranian missile and drone attacks. It said there was damage to US military facilities, but that it was minimal and did not impact operations.

Bahrain said the headquarters of the US Navy’s 5th Fleet, located in the country, was hit by an Iranian missile attack, without giving details on the extent of any damage.

Iran’s strikes also targeted Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Jordan. Some countries reported injuries from falling debris, including Kuwait, which said that three armed forces members had minor injuries from shrapnel from the interception of drones and ballistic missiles. The United Arab Emirates said one person was killed by falling debris in its capital, and four people were injured and taken to the hospital after an incident in a part of the city of Dubai that is known for luxury hotels.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called the US and Israeli strikes “wholly unprovoked, illegal, and illegitimate.” Iran has vowed further action, and Israel has hinted that its actions so far only represent the beginning of its operation. The US has indicated the same.

Flights have been cancelled across the region, and multiple countries have closed their airspaces, resulting in major disruption for what is one of the world’s busiest flight routes.




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I bunked with 3 strangers in a shared cabin on an overnight train in Europe. I’ll never do it again.

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  • I spent 11 hours in a shared cabin on an overnight train from Vienna to Venice, Italy.
  • For less than $100, I got a bunk in a room of six beds with three other people.
  • I’ve traveled overnight on Amtrak, but in private rooms. I didn’t adjust well to the shared space.

My ride from Vienna to Venice, Italy, in October 2022 was bumpy, cramped, and awkward.

During a two-week trip through four European countries, I spent 11 hours bunking with three strangers in an overnight sleeper train.

While it was my first time traveling in a sleeper car in Europe, I’d spent 60 hours on overnight Amtrak trains in the 20-square-foot roomette and 45-square-foot bedroom accommodations, where I had private rooms.

I thought an overnight train would be the best way to travel through Europe so that I could explore more during the day. But the rough ride made sleeping hard, and I didn’t feel rested when I got to Venice.

I booked my ride with the Austrian Federal Railway’s OBB Nightjet.

The OBB Nightjet train as it arrives in Venice in 2022.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

OBB Nightjet — a rail line that operates overnight routes between Austria, Italy, France, and the Netherlands — can go as fast as 143 miles per hour.

Nightjet trains have regular assigned seats, couchette cars (seats that fold out into couches in shared cabins), and sleeper cars with bunks of four or six, which is what I booked. Some routes have private cabins, but mine didn’t.

This overnight leg of my European train trip, which came with breakfast, cost $44 with a Eurail pass. Without the pass, the ticket would have been about $84.


The author's Eurail pass on a European train.

The reporter’s Eurail pass on a European train.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

To travel by train, I bought a Eurail pass for $477, which gives access to most European trains for a set number of days. Some trains require only a Eurail pass, while others, including overnight trains, incur an additional discounted fare.

My journey began in Austria’s Wien Meidling train station.


The station where the Nightjet took off from

Inside the Wien Meidling train station in Austria.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I arrived about an hour and a half before my 9:35 p.m. train so I’d have plenty of time to find the platform.

The departure screens said my train was going to Zurich. At the information desk, I learned that, unlike Amtrak, the train’s cars detach at various stations to go to different locations.


A train car on the Nightjet

Train car number two on the Nightjet.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I’d need to board my assigned train car; each has a number.

I paid $10 to wait for my train in OBB’s lounge.


Inside the OBB Lounge

Inside the OBB Nightjet lounge at Wien Meidling train station.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

The lounge is free for OBB first-class passengers traveling during the day and costs about $10 for all other OBB passengers. Since I didn’t see any empty seats in the rest of the station, I paid for it.

I was surprised to find I was the only one inside the lounge since the rest of the station was full of people. There were plenty of tables and chairs available.

The lounge served complimentary refreshments and snacks, from coffee to nuts and seeds.


refreshments in the OBB lounge

Refreshments in the OBB Nightjet lounge at Wien Meidling train station.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

It was a smaller selection than I’ve seen at Amtrak’s Metropolitan Lounge, which I’ve visited in New York, but I wasn’t hungry, so I just got a water bottle.

I went to the platform about 20 minutes before my train’s 9:35 p.m. departure.


Platform where the train takes off in Austria

The train platform the reporter used at Wien Meidling train station.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

When the train arrived, I didn’t have time to check the car number before boarding. I just went to the closest car and asked an attendant for help.

Inside the sleeper cars, I saw narrow, dimly lit corridors full of small cabins with bunk beds.


The corridor inside the Nightjet train

A corridor inside an OBB Nightjet sleeper car.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

An attendant led the way to my shared cabin.

My room had six bunks and a large window with a curtain. During my leg of the journey, one traveler was already there when I boarded, and two others arrived within an hour.


Inside the author's shared Nightjet cabin.

The reporter gets settled inside her shared cabin.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Two got off around 5 a.m., and the other stayed past my stop.

At 74 square feet, it felt like a tight space — especially with everyone’s luggage around. There was space for bags above the beds, but not enough for everyone.

I couldn’t imagine six people squeezing in there.

While my cabin was assigned, the beds were first-come, first-served.


A view of the top bunks from the train's bottom bunk

A view of the top bunks from the reporter’s bottom bunk.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Since I’ve experienced more bumps on higher bunks on Amtrak trains, I chose a bottom bunk.

The train provided bed sheets and a pillow.


Bunks inside the Nightjet train

Sheets for the beds inside the cabin.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Although they weren’t as soft and cozy as the sheets on Amtrak trains, they were better than nothing.

Temperature and shared lighting controls were above the curtained door to enter the room.


The curtains and controls in the Nightjet bunk

The door to the cabin with dials to control temperature and lighting above.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

My fellow passengers and I agreed to turn off the lights once everyone was settled into bed.

There was an outlet and a tiny nightstand on the side of each bunk, as well as night lights above the bed. Without curtains around each bunk, I thought I had no privacy.


Lights and outlets on the Nightjet

Lights and outlets in the Nightjet cabin.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I longed for a way to close off my bunk for more personal space.

Other passengers in the room said hello to one another upon arrival, but otherwise, the room was quiet.


Inside the shared cabin.

Inside the shared cabin.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Some of us watched our devices, while others went right to sleep.

Before bed, I used one of the two bathrooms for everyone in my sleeper car. I thought it was a typical train bathroom with a toilet and a sink.


The bathroom inside the Nightjet train

A bathroom inside the sleeper car.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

According to Nightjet’s website, only private sleeper cabins come with a shower.

When I was ready for bed, I watched TV before going to sleep. The bed was stiff and uncomfortable, in my opinion.


The author watches TV at night from her bunk.

The reporter’s view from her bed in the evening.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I woke up several times during the night to other travelers entering and exiting the room, or due to the bumpiness of the train.

An attendant woke me up with breakfast at 8 a.m., about 20 minutes before my stop in Venice. I got two rolls of bread with butter, jam, and coffee to eat in my bunk.


Morning breakfast on the Nightjet train

The reporter’s view with her breakfast in the morning.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

There was no café car or common area on board for passengers.

When I got off the train in Venice, I was exhausted from the lack of sleep. I thought it made my first day in the city less enjoyable.


Outside of the Nightjet train as it arrives in Venice

The OBB Nightjet arrives in Venice.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

“Offering our passengers a high level of travel comfort is an important concern for us,” a representative for OBB Nightjet told Business Insider. “We are constantly working on improvements to our product and also take into account the requirements of our customers.”

While sometimes it’s about the journey, not the destination, in this case, I’d rather arrive feeling refreshed so I can enjoy where I’m going. So, a year later, I booked a Nightjet private cabin to get from Venice to Vienna. That ride was far more comfortable, and I slept easily with no strangers in my cabin.




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A nutritionist who lowered his cholesterol through diet shared 4 simple tips for eating more fiber

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When Rob Hobson, a registered nutritionist based in the UK, found out his cholesterol levels were “really high” in June, he decided to manage them through diet, focusing particularly on increasing his fiber intake.

Six months later, when he tested again, his cholesterol levels had improved, and he’d discovered four tricks that make eating more fiber easy.

Cholesterol is a fatty substance the body needs for many bodily processes, but if a person has too much LDL or “bad” cholesterol, it can form sticky plaque in their arteries, putting them at greater risk of cardiovascular disease.

To reduce cholesterol levels, the American Heart Association recommends exercising at least 150 minutes a week, quitting smoking and vaping, maintaining a healthy weight, and eating a heart-healthy diet that’s low in saturated fats and high in fiber. If these measures don’t help, then statins, a medication that lowers LDL cholesterol, will likely be prescribed.

Hobson, the author of “Unprocess Your Life” and “The Low Appetite Cookbook,” already worked out for around an hour each morning, and ate minimal ultra-processed foods and saturated fats. So he zeroed in on fiber.

Eating at least 5 to 10 grams of soluble fiber a day can help lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, according to the National Lipid Association. Quinoa, oats, avocado, sweet potatoes, carrots, and chia or flax seeds are good examples.

Here are Hobson’s tips for seamlessly adding more fiber to your diet.

Eat breakfast

Hobson is a big advocate of breakfast because it lends itself to high-fiber foods such as oats, nuts, and seeds. “It’s really easy to get plenty of fiber in at that time of day,” he told Business Insider.

He has two go-to breakfasts that he eats on repeat. The first is a Greek yogurt bowl with berries, oats, and chia seeds. The second is overnight oats, which he makes with milk, protein powder, berries, honey, nuts, and seeds.

Fiber cupboard


A cupboard with shelves of seeds, beans, nuts, and pulses.

Rob Hobson’s fiber cupboard.

Rob Hobson



Hobson created a “fiber cupboard” in his kitchen that’s packed with fibrous foods. He challenges himself to include something from the cupboard in every meal. “Then at least you know that you are making the effort to do it,” he said.

He stocks up on lentils, beans, pulses, wholegrain pasta, brown rice, as well as snacks like fruit and nut bars, rye crackers that he likes to pair with some cottage cheese, and seaweed thins.

“I’m always rooting around for stuff, and I just think having it all in one place is so much easier,” he said.

Add pulses and legumes to your meal and put the rest into a Tupperware in the fridge

The easiest way to add fiber to a meal is to pour half a can of beans or pulses into it, Hobson said. Just one cup of black beans, for example, contains 15 grams of fiber. “You can add them to anything,” he said.

Mix some into a soup, sauce, or curry, or simply sprinkle a couple of tablespoons on top of a salad.

If you’re not using the whole can, decant the rest into a Tupperware and place it in the fridge, Hobson said. That way, they’ll stay fresher for longer and be easily accessible. “Then you don’t have to worry about, ‘I’m going to waste the rest of the tin,'” he said.

Keep the food you want to eat visible

Hobson recommends keeping the foods you want to eat in a visible spot. That way, you’re more likely to reach for them. “Nuts and seeds, always keep them on the side so they’re there,” he said.

Research suggests that the foods you keep on your countertop could impact your body weight, a factor that can influence cholesterol levels. In a 2015 study published in Sage Journals, researchers at Cornell University analyzed the visible foods on 210 countertops in New York and measured their owners’ BMIs. They found that those who had just fresh fruit visible weighed an average of 20 pounds less than those who had unhealthier snacks like candy, soda, and cereals on show.

“It’s your basic See-Food Diet — you eat what you see,” Brian Wansink, the study’s lead author, said of the findings.

But if you’re not ready to make changes to your kitchen layout, Hobson said to stick to one basic principle: “Make sure that you’ve got a bit of fiber on your plate every day with every meal,” he said.




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