Heart Healthy Menus A good heart healthy menu may also be classified as a low fat/low cholesterol diet. The body needs a certain amount of cholesterol to promote good health but too much of the wrong kind of cholesterol will cause damage to your heart and other organs. Cholesterol comes from the foods you eat and it is also manufactured by your body. Menus that are heart healthy take in consideration the amount of good cholesterol the body needs from the daily intake of foods as well as limiting the intake of the bad cholesterol. What is a low fat/low cholesterol diet? A low fat/low cholesterol diet is about limiting the amount of saturated fats and trans fats ingested each day. Why? The LDL cholesterol, which is the bad kind of cholesterol, is increased when too much trans fat or saturated fats are included in the daily meal plan. The HDL or the good cholesterol levels are decreased when too much of the wrong fats are ingested every day. This will definitely lead to a big risk factor for heart disease. High fiber foods like natural vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans and nuts will help to decrease cholesterol levels. Fill up on these natural foods and half the battle against heart disease is already won. Eating at least two servings of fish like salmon is a great way to get a sufficient amount of the good fat, omega-3 fatty acids that will go a long way in the prevention of a stroke or heart disease. Other good fish choices are cold water fish, flounder, oysters, sole, tuna, lobster, swordfish and trout. In fact, these foods are also known as great ‘fat fighters’: Foods containing Flavnoids • • • • • • • •
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