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Healthy Eating
A healthy diet is key to healthy cholesterol and triglyceride levels and general heart health. In order to get to healthy lipid levels, your diet should consist of at least five servings of fruits or vegetables, six servings of breads/cereals/grains, two servings of fat-free or low-fat dairy products and five ounces or less of lean meat, fish or poultry a day.
In addition, it's healthiest for your heart if you limit the amount of whole milk, cream, butter, eggs, fatty meat and fried foods you eat or drink each day. All of these foods can lead to unhealthy cholesterol and lipid levels.
General Guidelines
- Breakfast. Eat a good breakfast daily, e.g., oat-meal, banana, whole-wheat toast with scrambled egg, low-fat milk.
- Limit salt and salty foods (pickles, chips, soy sauce) to less than 1900 mg of sodium/day.
- Food labels. Learn to read labels to determine the fat, cholesterol, calorie, and fiber content of foods.
- Regular meals. Skipping meals is not a good habit. It can lead to snacking on less nutritious food during the day.
- Adequate folic acid, vitamin C and E. These nutrients are protective. Be sure to have good dietary sources.
- Eat potassium rich foods, they help protect against high blood pressure.
- Nuts are protective against heart disease. Eat nuts at least five or more times per week.
- N-3 fats found in canola and soy oils, flaxseed, fish, and leafy greens protect the heart.
- Whole grain breads and cereals are very protective against heart disease. Eat at least three servings of whole-grain foods daily.
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Here are a few tips to keep in mind when you prepare meals that will benefit your heart:
- Cut off all visible fat from meat, and take all the skin off chicken and turkey before cooking (If you're roasting a whole chicken or turkey, remove the skin after cooking)
- Broil or grill instead of pan-fry your food
- Serve smaller portions of higher-fat dishes, or focus on substituting high-fat foods with lower-fat dishes like pasta, rice, beans and vegetables
- Make recipes or egg dishes with egg whites or egg substitutes, not yolks
Foods to avoid
- Commercial fried foods
- Fatty meats
- Egg yolks
- Baked goods
- High-fat dairy products
Note: if you are on a special diet, follow your doctor’s advice.
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