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The following recommendations reveal
how important diet is in preventing and managing heart disease:
- Eat at least five servings of fruits
and vegetables a day. Women who did lowered their risk of heart
disease by 20 to 30%.
- Keep your total fat intake below 30%
of total calories. Also
important: Choose your fats wisely.
 Certain types are better for your heart than
others:
BAD FATS: Saturated fats—found in butter, meat,
and whole milk—can cause unhealthy increases in blood cholesterol
levels. So, too, can trans fats, which are found in commercially
prepared baked goods and stick margarine.
BETTER FAT: Polyunsaturated fat, found in margarine, has
been shown to help lower LDL cholesterol when eaten in moderation.
This makes margarine a better choice over butter—even though
stick margarine also contains trans fats. Soft margarine has
fewer trans fats than the stick variety. If you choose a margarine
that contains the plant substances stanol or sterol, you may
lower your LDL cholesterol even further.
BETTER FAT: Monounsaturated fats, found in olive and canola
oils, come out ahead of all the others for heart health. This
type of fat can raise healthy HDL cholesterol, as well as lower
LDL cholesterol, when consumed in moderation. One study also
found that substituting monounsaturated fat for other fats helped
lower blood pressure in adults with hypertension.
- Snack on nuts. Moderate amounts may reduce the risk of heart
disease.
- Eat garlic, if you enjoy
it. Some studies suggest that eating a lot of fresh garlic may
lower cholesterol.
- Choose fish at
least once a week. Men who ate fish regularly had a lower rate
of fatal heart attacks than non-fish eaters. However, people
with high cholesterol should eat shrimp and other shellfish in
moderation. Some shellfish are high in cholesterol—although
low in fat.
- Experiment with
tofu and other soy products, which may help
improve cholesterol levels.
- Keep sodium intake
to no more than 2,400 milligrams a day
for healthy blood pressure.
- Increase your intake
of whole grains, which help
keep cholesterol levels healthy.
- Be conservative
about eggs. Eggs are high in
dietary cholesterol, which is known to raise LDL cholesterol
levels. But one large study found that healthy adults could eat
up to an egg a day without increasing their risk of heart disease.
The researchers stress, however, that people vary widely in their
responses to dietary cholesterol. For instance, study members
with diabetes increased their risk of heart disease by eating
eggs. In addition, experts recommend that people with high cholesterol
eat no more than two egg yolks a week. Egg whites are healthier
because they don't contain any cholesterol.
- Watch calories, especially
if you need to lose weight.
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