A Michelin star chef who was forced to turn his life around after having a heart attack, has revealed the changes he made to his diet that 'saved him'.

Sat Bains almost lost his life in March 2021, which led him the Nottingham two-Michelin starred restaurant owner to drastically switch his diet and eat his favourite foods in 'moderation'.

He was working out in the garden with his trainer, when he experienced pain in his chest, jaw and eye socket - pushing him to call an ambulance. 

The chef had severe narrowing in an atery which ruptured during the work out, leading to a heart attack and prompting an emergency triple heart bypass operation.

Bains told The Times: 'They call it the widowmaker. They told me I should have died that morning, I was lucky to be alive'.





Sat Bains almost lost his life in March 2021, which led him the Nottingham two-Michelin starred restaurant owner to drastically switch his diet

It was a huge shock as the 50-year-old considered himself to be healthy - he had always maintained a reasonable weight and thought himself to be fit.

The scare led Bains to make changes to his diet, as well as penning his own book called 'Eat to your heart's content' which is being released this month and is full of 'recipes to improve your health'.

During the long recovery process, he got in touch with his friend Dr Neil Williams, a nutritionist at at Nottingham Trent University, who helped him create the diet that changed his life.

It took months for him to recover, after suffering huge weight loss following the operation and struggling to do anything by himself - Bains could barely walk around his kitchen table, however he was determined to make the changes he needed to. 

The chef told his friend: 'Things aren't right, I've got to change,' and set out his plan of a low cholesterol diet, as the main cause of his heart attack was high cholestoral. 

He was previously on a low-carb high-fat keto diet, which he swapped for more fruit and vegetables, lean protein and 'good fats'.

Bains had to start from scratch and 'relearn' what he 'thought he knew' - going from gorging 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 punchy flavourings by adding things like soy sauce and chilli.




He was previously on a low-carb high-fat keto diet, which he swapped for more fruit and vegetables, lean protein and KetoXplode Beoordelingen 'good fats' (Pictured in 2020)





It took months for Bains to recover, after suffering huge weight loss following the operation and struggling to do anything by himself - Bains could barely walk around his kitchen table, however he was determined to make the changes he needed to





Following Williams advice, the chef has cut out most carbs and limits himself to fish and chips or a burger once every siz to eight weeks





Other heart healthy foods he incorporated into his diet that 'saved' his life were nuts and seeds, oats and barley, oily fish and beans and pulses

Before his heart attack, Bains would have easily polished off at least two steaks a week, which is now limited to one every two or three weeks without the fat.

He told The Times: 'The whole point is moderation and balance. I'll have lots of fish, venison, game birds, which are very low in cholesterol'.

Following Williams advice, the chef has cut out most carbs and limits himself to fish and chips or a burger once every siz to eight weeks.

When it comes to sweet treats, he was also given the option of either two Freddo chocolate bars a week or 100g of 70 per cent cocoa, with the chef opting for the first option.

Other heart healthy foods he incorporated into his diet that 'saved' his life were nuts and seeds, oats and barley, oily fish and beans and pulses. 

The award winning chef's eatery, Restaurant Sat Bains, has a dazzling list of accolades.

From the two Michelin stars to five AA rosettes, as well as being  rated No1 restaurant in Britain in 2018 by TripAdvisor and named fourth in the 2019 Harden's Top 100 Best UK Restaurants.  

The restauranteer now believes he is as fit as he was before the heart attack and without his new recipes, he says, ' I probably would have popped my clogs sooner':

'Without the diet changes I would have carried on that path of keto, I would have got worse arteries for my genetic make-up'.