Garry Messick
eDiets Contributor
If you ever pick up a newspaper, surf the Internet or turn on the TV news, you've certainly heard that obesity and high-fat, high-sugar diets are on the rise; all of these things are contributing factors in heart disease. If you aren't doing it already, isn't it about time to get a handle on your diet and show your cardiovascular system some mercy? The following diet and heart-healthy food suggestions will help set you on the road to a healthier heart.
1. Eat low-fat meats. This means generally avoiding red meat and sticking with poultry and fish. But, of course, you have to take method of preparation into consideration as well, which means skipping the fried chicken and going for grilled. Can't do without burgers? Try substituting low-fat ground turkey or soy-based veggie burgers. Fish -- especially oily fish such as salmon, herring and mackerel -- are an excellent part of a heart-healthy food diet because they are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which lower triglycerides and may help improve your overall cholesterol profile as well as help lower blood pressure. If you're not much into fish, you can take supplements or consume other foods that contain omega-3, such as walnuts, soybeans and flaxseeds.
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2. Cut back on certain fat- and cholesterol-laden foods. The main culprits are saturated fats and trans fats. The American Heart Association recommends that saturated fats make up no more than 7 percent of your daily calories and that trans fats make up no more than 1 percent. But you'd do very well to cut out trans fats altogether, which isn't as difficult as it used to be. More and more processed foods are heart healthy -- various crackers, breads and chips -- that used to contain trans fats (usually in the form of hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils) have been dropping them in recent years, and more and more fast food restaurants are removing trans fats from their foods as well. This doesn't mean you should now give yourself license to pig out on the stuff every chance you get, but it does mean that the occasional order of french fries isn't as harmful as it once was.
To avoid saturated fats, it's a good idea to drop butter and margarine from your diet, as well as shortening. There are now butter substitutes on the market that feature heart-healthy ingredients such as omega-3 and monounsaturated fats such as canola oil and olive oil.
3. Eat whole grain foods. The easy rule of thumb for heart-healthy foods is to go for brown over white every time: brown rice instead of white rice, whole wheat or multiple grain bread instead of white bread and bran cereals instead of the sugary, food-colored variety. Whole grains provide you with fiber because, by definition, they still contain germ and bran. They're also rich in various vitamins and minerals, some of which are important in regulating blood pressure.
4. Eat fruits and vegetables. Most of us don't get enough of these heart-healthy foods, and it's a real shame because the benefits are stellar. Aside from the vitamins and minerals, fruits and veggies contain a lot of soluble fiber, which helps the body maintain a healthy cholesterol level, thereby helping to reduce the risk of heart disease. It's a good idea to keep various fruits and vegetables on hand and ready to eat ahead of time. You can wash them, chop them up and put them in containers as soon as you get home from the grocery store. Or if you're lazy like me, most stores now sell containers of pre-washed, pre-cut veggies and fruit salads, which you can simply buy and toss into the fridge. Remember to avoid creamy dips and dressings.
For salads, stick with low-fat vinaigrette or a squirt of lemon juice. And definitely buy fresh fruit as opposed to canned fruit salads with added syrup. Most doctors recommend four or five servings (about a cup) of fruits and vegetables a day.
Like this post? Check these out too:
-- Heart Health and Stress
-- 10 Eating Tips for a Healthy Heart
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