Researchers have based their findings on an analysis of over 72,000 women, all aged between 30 and 55 years, with no history of health problems at the beginning of the study which spanned 18 years, from 1984 to 2002.
During the course of the study, every two to four years, the women answered questionnaires about what they ate.
Two distinct dietary patterns emerged. One dubbed "high prudent" diet that included lots of vegetables, fruit, legumes, and whole grains, as well as lean protein sources such as fish and poultry.
The other dietary pattern, dubbed "Western", included more red and processed meat, refined grains, french fries, sugary foods, and desserts.
During 18 years of tracking, 6,011 of the participants died. Women with the most "prudent diet" had a 28 per cent lower risk of dying from heart disease. They also had a 17 per cent lower risk of death from all diseases studied, including cancer, diabetes, and stroke, the 'WebMD' reported.
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Women who followed a diet highest in meats, processed and refined foods, and sweets had a 22 per cent higher risk of dying from heart disease.
"The results highlight the importance of intensifying public health efforts to promote the adoption of a healthy overall diet including high intakes of vegetables, fruit, legumes, whole grains, fish and poultry and low intakes of red and processed meat, refined grains, French fries and sweets.