I'm a Michelin Star Chef and I Swallowed Everything I Liked, But Then I Had a Heart Attack – These 10 Foods Saved My Life
A Michelin-starred chef who was forced to change his life after suffering a heart attack has revealed the changes he made to his diet that 'saved' him.
Sat Bains almost lost his life in March 2021, prompting him, the two-Michelin-starred restaurant owner in Nottingham, to drastically change his diet and eat his favorite foods in 'moderation'.
He was training in the garden with his trainer when he developed pain in his chest, jaw and eye sockets, forcing him to call an ambulance.
The chef had a severe stenosis in an artery that ruptured during training, leading to a heart attack and triple heart bypass surgery.
Bains said The times: 'They call it the widower. They told me I should have died that morning, I was lucky to be alive.”
Sat Bains almost lost his life in March 2021, prompting him, the two-Michelin star restaurant owner in Nottingham, to drastically change his diet
It was a huge shock when the 50-year-old considered himself healthy; he had always maintained a reasonable weight and thought he was fit.
The scare prompted Bains to change his diet and write his own book called 'Eat to your heart's content', which is due out this month and is full of 'recipes to improve your health'.
During the long recovery process he came into contact with his friend Dr Neil Williams, a nutritionist at Nottingham Trent University, who helped him create the diet that changed his life.
It took him months to recover after suffering massive weight loss after surgery and struggling to do anything on his own. Bains could barely walk around his kitchen table, but he was determined to make the changes he needed.
The chef told his friend, “It's not right, I have to change,” and outlined his plan of a low-cholesterol diet, as the main cause of his heart attack was high cholesterol.
He previously followed a low-carb, high-fat keto diet, which he swapped for more fruits and vegetables, lean protein and “good fats.”
Bains had to start all over again and 'relearn' what he 'thought he knew' – ranging from binging on chocolate and steaks, to limiting himself to just two Freddo bars a week.
Maintaining his Michelin star standards, the heart attack survivor “refuses” to eat bland food, so he kept his spicy flavorings by adding things like soy sauce and chili.
He previously followed a low-carb, high-fat keto diet, which he swapped for more fruits and vegetables, lean protein and 'good fats' (pictured in 2020)
It took months for Bains to recover after losing a huge amount of weight after surgery and struggling to do anything on his own. Bains could barely walk around his kitchen table, but he was determined to make the changes he needed.
Following Williams' advice, the chef has cut out most carbs and limited himself to fish and chips or a burger for eight weeks.
Other heart-healthy foods he included in his diet that “saved” his life were nuts and seeds, oats and barley, oily fish and beans, and legumes.
Before his heart attack, Bains would have easily polished off at least two steaks a week, which, without the fat, is now limited to one every two or three weeks.
He told The Times: 'The whole point is moderation and balance. I will have lots of fish, venison and game birds, which have very low cholesterol.”
On Williams' advice, the chef has cut out most carbs and limited himself to fish and chips or a burger for eight weeks.
When it comes to sweet treats, he was also given the choice between two Freddo chocolate bars per week or 100 grams of 70 percent cocoa, with the chef choosing the first option.
Other heart-healthy foods he included in his diet that “saved” his life were nuts and seeds, oats and barley, oily fish and beans, and legumes.
The chef's award-winning eatery, Restaurant Sat Bains, has a staggering list of accolades.
From two Michelin stars to five AA rosettes, it was rated the No. 1 restaurant in Britain by TripAdvisor in 2018 and ranked fourth in Harden's Top 100 Best British Restaurants of 2019.
The restaurateur now thinks he is as fit as he was before the heart attack and without his new recipes he says: 'I probably would have opened my clogs sooner':
“Without the dietary changes I would have taken on the keto path, I would have ended up with worse arteries for my genetic makeup.”